Summary

Treating a pyogenic liver abscess is a therapeutic challenge when a patient presents with atypical symptoms. One of the rare causes of treatment failure of these abscesses is the unrecognised migration of a foreign body from the gastrointestinal tract. The authors describe a pyogenic liver abscess in a 45-year-old male who presented with a 10 day history of fever, and abdominal pain. A CT scan of the abdomen revealed a needle-like foreign body in the liver. At operation a 2.5 cm fish bone was extracted from the liver. Subsequently, his feverish symptoms disappeared, and he has remained well in the ensuing 3 month postoperative period. Fish bone-induced liver abscess is discussed in this brief report.