Revista Espanola de Enfermedades Digestivas (Feb 2013)

Cholangitis and multiple liver abscesses after percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) for recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) Colangitis y abscesos hepáticos múltiples tras la inyección percutánea de etanol (IPE) en el tratamiento del carcinoma hepatocelular recurrente

  • Fernando Macias-García,
  • Nicolau Vallejo-Senra,
  • Sandra Baleato-González,
  • Javier Fernández-Castroagudín,
  • Esther Molina-Pérez,
  • J. Enrique Domínguez-Muñoz

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 105, no. 2
pp. 110 – 112

Abstract

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Percutaneous ablation procedures are minimally invasive treatments for unresectable early stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). These techniques are usually safe, but rare and even fatal complications have been described. We present a fatal result after percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) for the treatment of a recurrent HCC in a non-cirrhotic liver, with subsequent development of diffuse cholangitis and multiple liver abscesses. Although percutaneous drainage and intensive antibiotic treatment were employed, the patient finally died. We discuss about the etiology and the physiopathology of this rare complication in which the therapeutic options are limited and usually unsuccessful.

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