Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) is widely used to treat inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma and metastatic tumor of the liver. Among the complications occurring after TACE, liver abscess formation in HCC is a fatal complication. The reported incidence of this complication ranges from 0% to 3.3%. Moreover, liver abscess formation in non-tumorous parenchyma is very rare. The pathogenic mechanism of this complication has been linked to several factors but retrograde enteric bacterial contamination of the biliary tract appears to be the most commonly implicated cause. The major risk factors of the biliary tract infection are pneumobilia, portal vein thrombosis, bilo-enteric anastomosis and biliary obstruction. We report a rare case of liver abscess formation in non-tumorous liver parenchyma after TACE for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma in a patient with pneumobilia. (Korean J Hepatol 2001;7:189-194)
