Recurrent Right Sided Pleural Effusion in a Cirrhotic Patient

Tan Kee Nam, Qin Jian Low and Lai Teck Gew

Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Queen Elizabeth, 88100 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Sultanah Nora Ismail, 83000 BatuPahat, Johor, Malaysia

^*Correspondance to: Tan Kee Nam 

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Abstract:

Hepatic hydrothorax is an uncommon complication of chronic liver disease. It presents as transudative pleural effusion, in the absence of pleural or cardiopulmonary pathology. The occurrence of hepatic hydrothorax is mainly due to presence of defect at the diaphragm, which leads to passage of the ascitic fluid into pleural cavity via this pleural-peritoneal communication. Management of hepatic hydrothorax include conservative measures such as dietary salt restriction and diuretics; as well as surgical interventions such as Transjugular Intrahepatic Portal Systemic Shunt (TIPS), liver transplant, and surgical repair of the diaphragmatic defect by doing Videothoracoscopy (VATS). We illustrate a case of hepatic hydrothorax due to autoimmune hepatitis and its successful treatment by conservative measures.

Keywords:

Hepatic hydrothorax; Liver cirrhosis; Pleural effusion; Ascites

Cite the Article:

Nam TK, Low QJ, Gew LT. Recurrent Right Sided Pleural Effusion in a Cirrhotic Patient. Ann Clin Case Rep. 2021; 6: 1957..