Percutaneous transhepatic drainage of lung abscess through a diaphragmatic fistula caused by a penetrating liver abscess

Liver abscesses occurring just below the diaphragm can penetrate or perforate the thoracic cavity, resulting in lung abscess or pyothorax. Although surgical or percutaneous transpleural drainage is often required in such cases, the latter approach has some risks, including hemothorax and bronchopleural fistula formation when the cavity is surrounded by normal lung parenchyma. The present report describes a treatment technique of percutaneous transhepatic drainage through the diaphragmatic fistula to avoid the risks of a transpulmonary approach in a case of lung abscess caused by a penetrating liver abscess.