Combined video-thoracoscopic, surgical and endovascular treatment in a case of ascites and recurrent bilateral pleural effusion

• Published in: Il Giornale di chirurgia Vol. 25; no. 4; pp. 137 - 139
• Main Authors: Monaco, M, Mondello, B, Galletti, G, Monici, D, Nunnari, F, Monaco, F, Pavia, R, Stilo, F, Benedetto, F, Spinelli, F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Italian
• Published: Italy 01.04.2004
• Subjects: Adult; Ascites - etiology; Ascites - surgery; Budd-Chiari Syndrome - complications; Budd-Chiari Syndrome - diagnosis; Budd-Chiari Syndrome - surgery; Combined Modality Therapy; Constriction, Pathologic - complications; Constriction, Pathologic - diagnosis; Constriction, Pathologic - surgery; Diagnosis, Differential; Humans; Male; Pleural Effusion - etiology; Pleural Effusion - surgery; Pleurodesis; Stents; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted; Vena Cava, Inferior - pathology; Vena Cava, Inferior - surgery
• ISSN: 0391-9005

Among recurrent pleural effusions a role of remarkable importance is held by those combined with ascitis due to the difficulty of their treatment, even using widely tested techniques. The incidence of such pathology varies from 4% to 6% of patients suffering from cirrhotic pathology, reaching 10% in cases with advanced illnesses. Pleural effusions involve the right emithorax more frequently than the left one, but it can show up bilaterally too. Its etiopathogenesis is tied up to the direct passage of ascitic liquid into the chest and, during the past years, numerous theories have been described to explain this migration. The Authors report the case of a patient with interesting considerations for the diagnostic difficulties and the peculiarity of the treatment performed.