Massive pleural effusion secondary to continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis, confirmed by Tc-99m sulfur colloid peritoneoscintigraphy

Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis is an effective treatment for end-stage renal disease. Pleural effusion secondary to pleuroperitoneal communication is an unusual complication of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis, with persistence or recurrence requiring an alternate form of dialysis. The authors describe a 62-year-old woman with uremia of unknown cause who suddenly experienced right chest respiratory difficulty after her first continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. Chest radiographs revealed a massive pleural effusion in the right lung. Further Tc-99m sulfur colloid peritoneoscintigraphy confirmed a communication between the peritoneal and pleural cavities on the right side of the diaphragm.