Pulmonary artery embolotherapy in a patient with type I hepatopulmonary syndrome after liver transplantation

Korean J Radiol. 2010 Jul-Aug;11(4):485-9. doi: 10.3348/kjr.2010.11.4.485. Epub 2010 Jun 21.

Abstract

Although liver transplantation (LT) is the only effective treatment option for hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS), the post-LT morbidity and mortality have been high for patients with severe HPS. We performed post-LT embolotherapy in a 10-year-old boy who had severe type I HPS preoperatively, but he failed to recover early from his hypoxemic symptoms after an LT. Multiple embolizations were then successfully performed on the major branches that formed the abnormal vascular structures. After the embolotherapy, the patient had symptomatic improvement and he was discharged without complications.

Keywords: Embolization; Hepatopulmonary syndrome; Intrapulmonary arteriovenous shunt; Liver transplantation; Pulmonary vasodilatation.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Child
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Echocardiography
  • Embolization, Therapeutic / methods*
  • Hepatopulmonary Syndrome / diagnosis
  • Hepatopulmonary Syndrome / therapy*
  • Humans
  • Liver Transplantation*
  • Male
  • Oximetry
  • Positron-Emission Tomography
  • Pulmonary Artery*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed