Purpose: To assess the value of bowel preparation plus targeted antibiotics for preventing intrahepatic infections after MWA of liver tumours in BEA patients.
Materials and methods: This retrospective study included 21 patients (divided into two groups) with a history of BEA undergoing ultrasound-guided MWA of liver tumours from November 2008 to June 2014. Group A (n = 10) received single-antibiotic therapy (cefazedone 2 g bid 4, amoxicillin and flucloxacillin sodium 2 g bid 3, levofloxacin 0.5 g qd 3) after ablation, and group B (n = 11) received bowel preparation before ablation plus combined antibiotic therapy (imipenem and cilastatin sodium 1 g 1/12 h, linezolid 0.6 g 1/12 h). Patients were followed for 3 months. Incidences of fever, bacteraemia, and intrahepatic infections were compared, including the duration of fever and length of hospital stay.
Results: Following ablation, in group A, 90% of the patients (9/10) had fever, 60% (6/10) had bacteraemia, 60% (6/10) had liver abscess, and 10% (1/10) had biliary tract infection. In group B, no cases of bacteraemia or intrahepatic infection were reported, and the incidences of fever, bacteraemia, and liver abscess were substantially lower than group A (p = 0.002, 0.004, 0.004). Duration of fever and length of hospital stay were markedly shorter than group A (p = 0.002 0.003).
Conclusions: Bowel preparation plus targeted antibiotic therapy can significantly reduce the incidences of fever, bacteraemia, and intrahepatic infections in BEA patients undergoing MWA of liver tumours. These preliminary results need to be further validated in randomised trials.
Keywords: Microwave ablation; biliary-enteric anastomosis; intrahepatic infection; liver abscess; liver tumours; ultrasound-guided percutaneous.