We report a case of hepatic abscess associated with the sump syndrome. The patient was a 66-year-old woman who had undergone cholecystectomy and side-to-side choledochoduodenostomy for a common bile duct (CBD) stone in 1983, and who presented with fever and right lower chest pain. A hepatic abscess was diagnosed; after it was drained, percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage was performed. Bacteriological studies revealed the presence of Bacteroides fragilis and Streptococcus intermedius in the pus in the hepatic abscess cavity, and Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the bile. The hepatic abscess and cholangitis rapidly resolved in response to two drainage procedures. At surgery, simple closure of the anastomosis was performed, because free drainage was observed from the distal CBD into the duodenum, despite the existence of a periampullary diverticulum.

Abstract:We devised special maneuvers and techniques, which we refer to as "the three-portal technique," for the performance of laparoscopic cholecystectomy. With this technique, the primary surgeon operates from the right side of the patient, beginning dissection at the posterior surface of the gallbladder and advancing until the neck of the gallbladder is sufficiently separated from the hepatic bed. The particular advantages of our technique are that the quadrate lobe of the liver does not obstruct the operative field, because of the direction of the dissecting forceps controlled by the operator's right hand, and there is less contact between the various instruments. Sixteen patients with gallstones were successfully treated with this new technique, and no morbidity was attributable to the procedure.

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