Clinical Characteristics And Prognosis Of Hepatic Hydrothorax

Background and Objective:Hepatic hydrothorax is defined as a significant pleural effusion(usually greater than 500 ml) in a cirrhotic patient,without an underlying pulmonary or cardiac disease.The diagnosis of hepatic hydrothorax should be suspected in a patient with established cirrhosis and portal hypertension,presenting with a unilateral pleural effusion,most commonly right-sided.In the vast majority of cases,patients with hepatic hydrothorax have end-stage liver disease.We designed this research to study the features and prognosis of hepatic hydrothorax.Methods:The clinical data of 61 patients with hepatic hydrothorax were retrospectively analyze,61inpatients who were referred to the First Affiliated Hospital,College of Medicine,Zhejiang University between January,2004 and December,2008,diagnosed with hepatic hydrothorax.Results:Hepatic hydrothorax is difficult to be treated,all 61 patients were administration combined therapy,42 patients were complete regression,10 patients remarkably decreased,9 patients had no change,8 patients died of hepatic encephalopathy,hepatorenal syndrome and alimentary tract bleed. Conclusions:The disease severity degree and prognosis correlated with the quantitative of hepatic hydrothorax.Most patients died of alimentary tract bleed,hepatic encephalopathy,hepatorenal syndrome,abdominal cavity severely infection and electrolyte disturbances,patients with hepatic hydrothorax have end-stage hepatic cirrhosis.Especially,if the patients with large effusions,it has very bad prognosis.Therefore,they should be prevented and controlled infection,except rectification Hypoproteinemia and diureses.If patients with hepatic hydrothorax have end-stage liver disease,liver transplantation is very effectively therapeutic methods.