Liver Abscess Caused by a Foreign Body: Management by Minimally Invasive Ultrasound-guided Drainage

Complications of foreign body ingestion are infrequently encountered in clinical practice. Less than 100 cases of liver abscess formed secondary to foreign body penetration of the stomach have been reported in the English literature. Previous reported cases have been predominantly managed surgically; ultrasound-guided drainage as primary treatment has not been reported. We report the first case of liver abscess caused by foreign body ingestion in Hong Kong managed with ultrasound-guided drainage, without surgical treatment. Although rare, prompt recognition of this condition for early intervention is necessary, as delayed or missed diagnosis may be associated with significant morbidity or death. We also discuss the use of multiplanar reformatting of computed tomography to identify the causative agent, if any, and its exact location in relationship to other anatomical structures. This aids endoscopic removal of the foreign body in a minimally invasive fashion.