Martin Zima
The hepatopulmonary syndrome is characterized by the concomitant presence of hepatic dysfunction (chronic or acute), and/or portal hypertension, intrapulmonary vascular dilatation and impaired arterial oxygenation in the absence of other cardiopulmonary disease. The term hepatopulmonary syndrome was suggested by Kennedy and Knudson in 1977, who described a patient in whom exertional dyspnea developed 4 years after portocaval shunting for complications of alcoholic cirrhosis. The pathophysiology of hepatopulmonary syndrome ist stil unknown. The most accepted hypothesis proposes a defect in the synthesis and metabolism of pulmonary vasoactive substances by the impaired liver. On the basis of their effects capillary and precapillary vascular dilatations and/or arteriovenous shunts develops with consecutive oxygen desaturation. Pulmonary angiography is helpful in delineating pulmonary vascular abnormalities. The hepatopulmonary syndrome type I („minimal or advanced“) is characterized by a diffuse pattern that responds well to 100% oxygen. Type II is chracterized by focal arteriovenous malformations, and have a poorer response to 100% oxygen.Various therapeutic options have either failed or produced minimal improvement. Supplemental oxygen therapy (2–4 l/min) may provide symtomatic relief, but liver transplantation is the most promising therapy for hepatopulmonary syndrome type I and vascular embolization for type II.