Pulmonary involvement and hepatopulmonary syndrome during severe hepar disease

Abstract

Respiratory symptoms are very common among patients with severe liver diseases.The hepatopulmonary syndrome results from the formation of microscopic intrapulmonary arteriovenous dilatations in patients with chronic liver disease. Pulmonary hypertension occurs in patients with a variety of conditions leading to portal hypertension with or without cirrhosis.

Portopulmonary hypertension occurs less commonly than the hepatopulmonary syndrome in patients with chronic liver disease. Other problems are linked to pleural efusions and ascites.

This article described incidence of these problems in the group of our cirhotic patients.

Keywords

• hepatopulmonary syndrome
• prtopulmonary hyperternsion
• ascites
• pleural effusion
• fluidothorax