High-Flow Oxygen Therapy to Support Inpatient Pulmonary Rehabilitation During Very Severe Hepatopulmonary Syndrome Recovery Post Liver Transplant: A Case Report.

ABSTRACT: This case study reports the novel use of inpatient pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) with near-maximal high-flow oxygen therapy in a patient recovering from very severe hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) following liver transplantation. HPS is a rare condition where advanced liver disease alters lung microvasculature through intrapulmonary vascular dilatation (IPVD) and angiogenesis. Platypnoea-orthodeoxia (postural dyspnoea with concurrent blood oxygen desaturation) is characteristic of HPS due to redirection of blood flow to the basal lung where IPVDs are more prominent, secondary to gravity. Currently, the only definitive treatment is liver transplantation, which allows normalization of oxygenation over an extended period, typically within 1 year. Pulmonary rehabilitation is an effective interv

SUBMITTER: Reeves JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12012242 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature