Unilateral Pleural Effusion and Upper Limb Edema Associated with Venous Hypertension of Vascular Access Due to Central Venous Stenosis in a Chronic Hemodialysis Patient

Abstract

We herein report a patient who developed ipsilateral pleural effusion associated with venous hypertension of arteriovenous fistula. The patient was an 82-year-old man. An arteriovenous fistula had been created in the left forearm 10 years previously, and thereafter left brachiocephalic vein stenosis had occurred 2 years previously. Chest radiograph revealed massive left-sided pleural effusion six months before admission. The pleural effusion was diagnosed as venous hypertension with arteriovenous fistula. After performing percutaneous angioplasty on the lesion, the degree of pleural effusion tended to decrease. However, restenosis occurred in the short term, so the arteriovenous fistula had to be ligated.