Sweet hydrothorax: a common presentation of a rare condition

Abstract

AbstractSweet hydrothorax is a known, yet rare, complication of peritoneal dialysis. It can be life-threatening. This case is about a 70-year-old lady who presented with acute respiratory failure due to massive right-sided hydrothorax that developed insidiously over 3 months of starting peritoneal dialysis. Thoracentesis and technetium scan confirmed the diagnosis. Treatment was successful with hemodialysis.Key messages– Peritoneal Dialysis (PD) can be complicated by sweet hydrothorax.– Symptoms onset after initiation of PD and symptoms resolve with its discontinuation suggest the diagnosis.– High gradient glucose level between pleural fluid and plasma is a hallmark feature of sweet hydrothorax.– Patients with life-threatening symptoms can consider hemodialysis or surgical options.