Resolution of Hepatopulmonary Syndrome After Methadone Withdrawal as Demonstrated by Right to Left Shunt Study

We present the right to left shunt study findings of a 50-year-old male patient with hepatitis C cirrhosis, who complained of worsening dyspnea on exertion. Follow-up images showed resolution of hepatopulmonary syndrome following methadone withdrawal although there had been no improvement in his liv...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Clinical nuclear medicine Vol. 36; no. 2; pp. 152 - 153
Main Authors:	Kitzing, Bjoern, Torzillo, Paul J, Allman, Kevin C
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	United States Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc 01-02-2011
Subjects:	Anastomosis, Surgical Hepatopulmonary Syndrome - diagnostic imaging Hepatopulmonary Syndrome - pathology Hepatopulmonary Syndrome - physiopathology Hepatopulmonary Syndrome - surgery Humans Liver Cirrhosis - drug therapy Male Methadone - therapeutic use Middle Aged Radionuclide Imaging Withholding Treatment
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Summary:	We present the right to left shunt study findings of a 50-year-old male patient with hepatitis C cirrhosis, who complained of worsening dyspnea on exertion. Follow-up images showed resolution of hepatopulmonary syndrome following methadone withdrawal although there had been no improvement in his liver disease. This was unusual and may have been due to the effect of opiate receptors on nitric oxide signaling in the pulmonary vasculature.
Bibliography:	ObjectType-Case Study-2 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-4 content type line 23 ObjectType-Report-1 ObjectType-Article-3
ISSN:	0363-9762 1536-0229
DOI:	10.1097/RLU.0b013e318203be86