ABSTRACT
Pleural complication is extremely rare among the complications of lung following transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) for hepatocellular carcinoma. We report a case of hepatopleural fistula complicated by TACE. A 50-year-old male was admitted to the hospital because of aggravation of cough and chest pain. Fifty five days before admission, a liver abscess had developed and treated by percutaneous drainage. A hepatocellular carcinoma had been diagnosed as a cause of liver abscess. Forty five days before admission, TACE had been performed for the hepatocellular carcinoma. Thirty days after TACE, dry cough and right pleuritic chest pain developed. After admission, serial CT scans of thorax and abdomen showed the pleural effusion containing the lipiodol from the liver through hepatopleural fistula. Chest tube insertion with a urokinase instillation was performed for the treatment of empyema caused by hepatopleural fistula.