Severe pulmonary hypertension and amelioration of hepatopulmonary syndrome after liver transplantation

Liver Transpl Surg. 1998 Mar;4(2):177-9. doi: 10.1002/lt.500040201.

Abstract

A patient with end-stage liver disease as a result of alpha1-antitripsin deficiency presented for orthotopic liver transplantation. The liver cirrhosis was complicated by portal hypertension and hepatopulmonary syndrome resulting in varicosities and severe hypoxia (room air oxygen saturation 69%). After transplantation, the hepatopulmonary syndrome improved but, over the next 14 months, the patient developed severe pulmonary hypertension. Six years posttransplantation, his room air oxygen saturation was 95% with pulmonary artery pressures of 109 mm Hg systolic and 26 mm Hg diastolic (mean 55 mm Hg) and a pulmonary vascular resistance 688 dynes x sec x cm.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Dilatation, Pathologic / complications
  • Dilatation, Pathologic / surgery
  • Humans
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / complications*
  • Hypoxia / complications
  • Kidney Failure, Chronic / complications
  • Kidney Failure, Chronic / surgery*
  • Liver Transplantation / adverse effects*
  • Male
  • Postoperative Complications*
  • Pulmonary Artery / pathology*
  • Pulmonary Veins / pathology*