[The value of thoracoscopy for diagnosis and management of refractory hepatic hydrothorax].
OBJECTIVE
To study the value of thoracoscopy for diagnosis and management of refractory hepatic hydrothorax (HH).


METHODS
Twenty-six patients with refractory HH were enrolled in this study. Twenty-four of them underwent therapeutic thoracoscopy to achieve pleurodesis by application of talc poudrage.


RESULTS
Nineteen of the 26 patients had dilated chest wall veins, 6 had dilated azygos veins, and 16 had diaphragm blebs. Of the 24 patients who received pleurodesis via thoracoscope, 14 cases showed complete response, and 8 showed partial response. Mild chest pain and temperature elevation were the most complaints during or after the procedure. Liver function abnormalities were the most serious side effects after pleurodesis. During the follow-up period ranging from 6 months to 3 years, 1 patient died of upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage and encephalopathy in 1 month, 3 patients died of hemorrhage in 6, 12, 18 months respectively, and 1 case experienced recurrence in 18 months.


CONCLUSIONS
Defects in the diaphragm seemed to be the main cause for the development of HH. Pleurodesis achieved by thoracoscopy and talc poudrage was effective in the treatment of HH, but complications and impaired liver functions should be considered.
Lin
Dian-jie
DJ
Department of Respiratory Disease, Shandong Province Hospital, Jinan 250021, China.
Wang
Mao-fen
MF
Gao
Gui-xin
GX
Li
Bin
B
Su
Li-li
LL
Zhu
Ling
L
Chen
Feng
F
Xue
Li-fu
LF
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D013906:Thoracoscopy