Use of tunneled pleural catheters for the management of refractory hepatic hydrothorax.
Hepatic hydrothorax is a complication seen in up to 10% of patients with advanced liver disease, which typically presents with recurrent pleural effusions. Current available therapeutic options are limited. We demonstrate this condition in a 52-year-old female, and discuss the diagnostic and management difficulties we encountered. Through introducing an intrapleural catheter we successfully enabled resolution of symptoms, reduced hospital admissions and significantly improved our patient's quality of life, with no recurrence of an effusion at 9-month follow-up.
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, NHS, Stevenage, UK. raj.shah@doctors.org.uk
Raj
R
Shah
Laura
L
Succony
Shafick
S
Gareeboo
D002408:Catheters, Indwelling; D015897:Comorbidity; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004322:Drainage / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006876:Hydrothorax / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic