Refractory hepatic hydrothorax: successful treatment with octreotide

Abstract

We report the case of a patient that developed hepatic hydrothorax as the first complication of liver cirrhosis. Due to the lack of response to diuretics, pleurodesis and TIPS, treatment with octreotide was started with resolution of hydrothorax. To the best of our knowledge, this is the third reported case of refractory hepatic hydrothorax with complete and sustained response to octreotide.