Hepatopulmonary syndrome: Use of extracorporeal life support for life-threatening hypoxia following liver transplantation
✍ Scribed by Geoffrey M. Fleming; Timothy T. Cornell; Theodore H. Welling; John C. Magee; Gail M. Annich
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 2008
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 165 KB
- Volume
- 14
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 1527-6465
- DOI
- 10.1002/lt.21477
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✦ Synopsis
Hepatopulmonary syndrome is an uncommon complication of nonacute liver failure, and in rare cases, hypoxia may be the presenting sign of liver dysfunction. The condition, once thought to be a contraindication, is improved in most cases by transplantation. There is a significant risk of postoperative, hypoxia-related morbidity and mortality in patients with hepatopulmonary syndrome. We present a case of life-threatening hypoxia following liver transplantation for liver failure and associated hepatopulmonary syndrome, with successful management using extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.