【Learning Points】

1. Bacterial or parasitic infections commonly cause liver abscesses, resulting in inflammation, tissue necrosis, and the formation of localized abscesses.
2. Typical symptoms of a liver abscess include fever, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, weight loss, and overall fatigue.
3. For a hepatic abscess ulcer, maintain clear and below-wound placement of the drainage tube, avoid soaking during bathing, and daily record drainage color and amount; seek immediate medical attention if signs of infection or discharge occur after returning home from treatment.

1. Fever：about 90% of patients have this symptom.           
2. Abdominal pain: about 50-75% of patients have this symptom, usually occurs in the right upper quadrant.
3. Other symptoms: nausea, vomiting, weight loss, general fatigue, etc.

1. Abdominal sonography
2. Abdominal computed tomography(CT).

1. Antibiotic therapy：when the liver abscess is less than or equal to 5 cm, treatment with broad-spectrum antibiotics for six to eight weeks, initial intravenous antibiotic therapy, most of patients oral antibiotics for complete the course of treatment.
2. Drainage of liver abscess by drainage tube：when the liver abscess is larger than 5 cm or more abscesses, accompanied by hepatobiliary and pancreatic disease, it is suggest placing a drainage tube to drain the pus.
3. If antibiotic therapy or drainage fails, abdominal surgical intervention to clear abscesses.

1. Mild pink color of drainage is common phenomenon when tube is just inserted. If drainage color keeps bloody and total amount increases, please call the medical staff.
2. Keep wound clean and dry, and change wound dressing once a day. Dressing should be changed if it was getting wet or displacement to prevent wound infection.
3. Use the adhesive tape fix the drainage tube to avoid displacement due to slippy drainage tube. (Figure. 1)
    
    Figure. 1 Drainage tube fixation
4. To keep drainage tube unobstructed, sometimes we must milking the drainage and avoid compression or kink to prevent from obstruction. (Figure. 2)
   
   Figure. 2 The drainage tube remains unobstructed
5. Drainage bag placement：when lying down, sitting, or getting out of bed, the drainage bag should be lowered than wound, and prevent the drainage fluid back or wound infection. (Figure. 3)
   
   Figure. 3 Drainage bag placement
6. Don't get your wound wet in the bath or shower.
7. If you are discharge with drainage tube, you need to record total amount of drainage and return to out-patient-department for follow up.