Hydrothorax in a PD patient: successful treatment with intrapleural autologous blood instillation.

An 80-year-old female developed massive right hydrothorax at the start of an IPD program. Peritoneal dialysis was interrupted and after complete evacuation of the pleural effusion, 40 ml of the patient's blood was infused into the right pleural cavity. For the first 2 days the patient maintained the Fowler position. Three weeks later, IPD was recommended, but pleural effusion reappeared early on. Infusion of a further 40 ml of the patient's blood was repeated after another pleural evacuation and the dialysis was again stopped for another 3-week period. Subsequently, IPD was restarted with only one-liter exchanges and the patient kept in the Fowler position during the dialysis sessions. After three weeks, standard IPD was started with the patient supine and two-liter exchanges. Hydrothorax did not re-appear and so far (12-month follow-up) no pleural effusion has been noticed. The patient feels well on IPD. Blood instillation was painless and caused one-day fever on the first time only. Pleurodesis achieved with autologous blood is a very safe, simple and effective way of treating hydrothorax in PD patients.