Liver Cirrhosis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Liver Cirrhosis, including details on alcohol, treatment, drugs, effects, causes.

Hepatic hydrothorax in the absence of ascites: respiratory failure in a cirrhotic patient.

Serrat J, Roza JJ, Planella T

Servei d'Anestesiologia i Reanimació, Hospital General de Vic, C/ Francesc Pla s/n, 08500 Vic, Barcelona, Spain. jserrat@hgv.es

The frequency of hepatic hydrothorax in cirrhotic patients is reported to be approximately 5%. The pleural effusion is predominantly right-sided (85% of cases) but may be bilateral. Although most often accompanied by significant ascites, it can occur in its absence. We report a case of a right-sided acute hepatic hydrothorax as a result of residual motor blockade during anesthesia recovery and without previous evidence of clinical ascites. This complication should be considered by the anesthesiologist in every cirrhotic patient, with or without clinical evidence of ascites.

Published 24 November 2004 in Anesth Analg, 99(6): 1803-4, table of contents.
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