Management of amoebic peritonitis due to ruptured amoebic liver abscess: It’s time for a paradigm shift

Abstract

Amoebic peritonitis secondary to rupture of amoebic liver abscess (ALA) has been reported to occur in 2.4 to 13% of cases with a high fatality rate. There is still no consensus as to how a ruptured ALA associated with diffuse amoebic peritonitis be optimally managed. The mortality rates following surgical therapy in patients with ruptured ALA freely into the peritoneum have ranged from 20%- to 50%. The introduction of percutaneous catheter drainage (PCD) has opened a new therapeutic possibility for this group of patients and emerging data suggest that PCD should be the preferred option in such group of patients.