Persistent hiccups – A rare complication of suprahepatic inferior vena cava stenting

Abstract

Persistent hiccups has not been reported previously with suprahepatic inferior vena cava (IVC) stenting. Persistent hiccups after palliative oesophageal stenting has been reported. We present a case of a 41-year-old male patient diagnosed with primary Budd-Chiari syndrome who underwent IVC stenting for suprahepatic IVC stenosis. Patient developed transient hiccups post procedure which settled immediately with medications. Patient developed a recurrence of symptoms after a year due to stent migration which led to redo stenting. Post-procedure, the patient developed persistent hiccups which could not be controlled by physiological methods or chlorpromazine and needed baclofen at a dose of 10 mg three times a day. The patient has been symptom-free for the past 2 years. Persistent hiccups may present as a rare complication of suprahepatic IVC stenting due to extrinsic phrenic nerve compression or by direct irritation of the diaphragm. Baclofen has been effective in terminating persistent hiccups in our case.