Until it's gone... Percutaneous drainage of liver abscesses is, in my experience, less effective than drainage of intra-abdominal abscesses, which isn't very effective. Neither type of abscess isn't, as I explain to other doctors and pts, a water balloon. Liver abscesses are more complicated than o...

I treat liver abscesses until there is clinical improvement and near resolution on imaging. Generally, once drainage is placed, I do not recommend that patients get re-scanned prior to the drain being pulled unless there is clinical deterioration. It is not unusual for patients to have loculations o...