A Case of ‘Sweet’ Hydrothorax in a Patient on Peritoneal Dialysis

Authors

• Radovan Hojs
• Nejc Piko Department of Nephrology, Clinic for Internal Medicine, University Medical Centre Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
• Martin Hren Department of Nephrology, Clinic for Internal Medicine, University Medical Centre Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
• Sebastjan Bevc Department of Nephrology, Clinic for Internal Medicine, University Medical Centre Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia and Medical Faculty Maribor, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
• Robert Ekart Medical Faculty Maribor, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia and Department of Dialysis, Clinic for Internal Medicine, University Medical Centre Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia

radovan.hojs@guest.arnes.si

Keywords

Abstract

Non-infectious complications are an important cause of peritoneal dialysis failure. Increased intra-abdominal pressure resulting from dialysate inflow into the peritoneal cavity can cause leaks, including hydrothorax due to pleuroperitoneal communication. The authors describe a patient on peritoneal dialysis with a newly discovered pleural effusion with a high glucose level. The patient was treated conservatively with peritoneal dialysis cessation and switched to haemodialysis with complete resolution of the pleural effusion. After 5 weeks, the patient successfully restarted peritoneal dialysis without recurrence of the hydrothorax.