title: Treatment of hepatic hydrothorax and reduction of chest tube output with octreotide.
abstract: Hepatic hydrothorax is a dreaded complication in patients with liver cirrhosis. Placement of chest tubes can alleviate respiratory distress, but patients often succumb due to excessive fluid and protein loss via the open drain. Our case illustrates that high-dose octreotide can strongly reduce hepatic hydrothorax drainage volume. This allows removal of the chest tube, which would otherwise not have been possible.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, University of Bern, Inselspital, Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pfammatter
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Quattropani
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reichen
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Göke
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Wagner
mesh_terms: D015505:Chest Tubes; D004322:Drainage; D005260:Female; D006501:Hepatic Encephalopathy / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D006876:Hydrothorax / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015282:Octreotide / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D015282:Octreotide