62-year-old woman admitted to the hospital with dyspnoea, elevated body temperature, cough for two
days. Patient has been treated for alcoholic hepatic sclerosis for 12 years and hepatitis C infection for 5
years. The chest X-ray revealed hydrothorax of right pleura. Continuous drainage of the right pleura was
applied. In spite of intensive treatment effusion excuded 1000 ml/day making pleurodesis impossible, and
eventually pleuro-peritoneal shunt was performed. Shunt drainage however turned out to be insufficient to
evacuate the pleural fluid. The shunt was removed and continuous pleural drainage was reopen. Due to
subsequent disseminated intravascular coagulation, patient was treated with fresh frozen plasma, heparin,
blood and platelets. The clinical status alleviated, but patient still required chest tube because of the
refractory hydrothorax.62-year-old woman admitted to the hospital with dyspnoea, elevated body temperature, cough for two
days. Patient has been treated for alcoholic hepatic sclerosis for 12 years and hepatitis C infection for 5
years. The chest X-ray revealed hydrothorax of right pleura. Continuous drainage of the right pleura was
applied. In spite of intensive treatment effusion excuded 1000 ml/day making pleurodesis impossible, and
eventually pleuro-peritoneal shunt was performed. Shunt drainage however turned out to be insufficient to
evacuate the pleural fluid. The shunt was removed and continuous pleural drainage was reopen. Due to
subsequent disseminated intravascular coagulation, patient was treated with fresh frozen plasma, heparin,
blood and platelets. The clinical status alleviated, but patient still required chest tube because of the
refractory hydrothorax
