Lee CH, Cha YW, Kim IH. Letter to the Editor: Time-based evidence supporting early percutaneous catheter drainage in pyogenic liver abscess. World J Gastrointest Surg 2026; 18(9): 123218 [DOI: 10.4240/wjgs.123218]
Corresponding Author of This Article
In Hee Kim, MD, Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Jeonbuk National University Medical School and Research Institute of Clinical Medicine of Jeonbuk National University Hospital-Jeonbuk National University Medical School, 20 Geonji-ro, Duckjin-gu, Jeonju 54907, South Korea. ihkimmd@jbnu.ac.kr
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Gastroenterology & Hepatology
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letter
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Lee CH, Cha YW, Kim IH. Letter to the Editor: Time-based evidence supporting early percutaneous catheter drainage in pyogenic liver abscess. World J Gastrointest Surg 2026; 18(9): 123218 [DOI: 10.4240/wjgs.123218]
World J Gastrointest Surg. Sep 27, 2026; 18(9): 123218 Published online Sep 27, 2026. doi: 10.4240/wjgs.123218
Letter to the Editor: Time-based evidence supporting early percutaneous catheter drainage in pyogenic liver abscess
Chang Hun Lee, Yeon Woo Cha, In Hee Kim
Chang Hun Lee, Yeon Woo Cha, In Hee Kim, Department of Internal Medicine, Jeonbuk National University Medical School and Research Institute of Clinical Medicine of Jeonbuk National University Hospital-Jeonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju 54907, South Korea
Co-first authors: Chang Hun Lee and Yeon Woo Cha.
Author contributions: Lee CH and Cha YW contributed equally to this work as co-first authors; Lee CH, Kim IH designed the study; Lee CH performed the data analysis, Lee CH and Cha YW drafted the manuscript; Kim IH supervised the study and provided final approval; all authors have read and approved the final manuscript.
AI contribution statement: No AI tools were used during the writing of the manuscript.
Supported by the National University Development Project at Jeonbuk National University in 2025 and the Jeonbuk National University in 2026.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Corresponding author: In Hee Kim, MD, Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Jeonbuk National University Medical School and Research Institute of Clinical Medicine of Jeonbuk National University Hospital-Jeonbuk National University Medical School, 20 Geonji-ro, Duckjin-gu, Jeonju 54907, South Korea. ihkimmd@jbnu.ac.kr
Received: May 15, 2026 Revised: July 13, 2026 Accepted: August 21, 2026 Published online: September 27, 2026 Processing time: 121 Days and 14.7 Hours
Abstract
A recent study by Qiu et al demonstrated that early ultrasound-guided percutaneous catheter drainage (PCD) is safe and effective for treating pyogenic liver abscess (PLA). Here, we provide complementary evidence from a temporal perspective using data from a multicenter cohort study. We previously reported that abscess diameter influences clinical outcomes and hospital stay in patients with PLA. Using the same cohort, we conducted a subgroup analysis of 366 patients who underwent PCD at three tertiary centers in Korea. Patients who underwent PCD within 3 days of admission had significantly shorter hospital stays and a substantially greater reduction in high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels after 1 week. In multivariate analysis, diabetes mellitus, lower albumin levels, and PCD performed more than 3 days after admission were independently associated with prolonged hospital stay. These findings complement the imaging-based evidence reported by Qiu et al, by providing temporal evidence that supports an early PCD strategy.
Core Tip: Among 366 patients who underwent percutaneous catheter drainage (PCD) for pyogenic liver abscess at three tertiary centers in Korea, early PCD performed within 3 days of admission was associated with shorter hospital stays and substantially greater reduction in high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels after 1 week. Delayed PCD (> 3 days after admission), diabetes mellitus, and lower serum albumin levels were independent predictors of prolonged hospitalization. Together with the imaging-based findings reported by Qiu et al, these temporal data support early PCD as a beneficial management strategy for pyogenic liver abscess.
