Ocular Manifestations and Complications of Pyogenic Liver Abscess

In anecdotal reports, septic metastatic lesions from a pyogenic liver abscess can result in endogenous endophthalmitis, an infection of intraocular contents. Recent reports suggest that this devastating complication is increasing in frequency. The initial presentation may be nonspecific and easily misdiagnosed by the surgical team. When the infecting organism is virulent, it tends to be rapidly progressive and often leads to permanent visual deterioration or blindness despite medical intervention. We conducted a study to determine the incidence of endophthalmitis associated with pyogenic liver abscess, to identify its associations, and to determine the outcome of treatment. A retrospective review of 289 patients with a clinical diagnosis of pyogenic liver abscess admitted between January 1995 and March 2001 revealed 10 patients (3.5%) with the complication of endogenous endophthalmitis. Among them, seven had a previous history of diabetes mellitus. The offending organism was Klebsiella pneumoniae in all cases. There was no mortality in this series. Final visual outcomes of our patients were as follows: Five had no light perception (two had undergone evisceration), one had light perception only, and four were able to visualize hand motion only. There is a trend toward a worse outcome when ocular symptoms are not diagnosed and treated within 24 hours of onset. Of the five patients who lost their eyesight completely, three were initially misdiagnosed, and referral to the ophthalmologist was delayed. Surgeons must be alert to the complication of endogenous endophthalmitis. Ocular symptoms in patients treated for pyogenic liver abscess must be referred early for an ophthalmologic consult. Increased awareness and a high index of suspicion are required for salvage of visual function.