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Abstract Background The Hepatic hydrothorax is a pleural effusion related to portal hypertension; its diagnosis and therapeutic management may be difficult. The aims of this article are which follows: To gather the practices of hepatogastroenterologists or pulmonologists practitioners regarding the diagnosis and management of the hepatic hydrothorax. Methods Practitioners from 13 French- speaking countries were invited to answer an online questionnaire on the hepatic hydrothorax diagnosis and its management. Results Five hundred twenty-eight practitioners (80% from France) responded to this survey. 75% were hepatogastroenterologists, 20% pulmonologists and the remaining 5% belonged to other specialities. The Hepatic hydrothorax can be located on the left lung for 64% of the responders (66% hepatogastroenterologists vs 57% pulmonologists; p = 0.25); The Hepatic hydrothorax can exist in the absence of clinical ascites for 91% of the responders (93% hepatogastroenterologists vs 88% pulmonologists; p = 0.27). An Ultrasound pleural scanning was systematically performed before a puncture for 43% of the responders (36% hepatogastroenterologists vs 70% pulmonologists; p

Aim: To study the clinical presentation of Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) and identify the aetiologies of this disease in Algeria., Methods: Patients with BCS, hospitalised in our unit from January 2004 until June 2010 were included and the aetiological factors were assessed. Patients presenting a BCS in the setting of advanced-stage cirrhosis or a liver transplantation were excluded from the study. The diagnosis was established when an obstruction of hepatic venous outflow (thrombosis, stenosis or compression) was demonstrated. We diagnosed myeloproliferative disease (MPD) by bone marrow biopsy and V617F JAK2 mutation. Anti-phospholipid syndrome (APLS) was detected by the presence of anticardiolipin antibodies, anti-β2 glycoprotein antibodies and Lupus anticoagulant. We also detected paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH) by flow cytometry. Celiac disease and Behçet disease were systematically investigated in our patients. Hereditary anticoagulant protein deficiencies were also assessed. We tested our patients for the G20210A mutation at Beaujon Hospital. Imaging procedures were performed to determine a local cause of BCS, such as a hydatid cyst or a liver tumour., Results: One hundred and fifteen patients were included. Mean follow up: 32.12 mo. Mean age: 34.41 years, M/F = 0.64. Chronic presentation was frequent: 63.5%. The revealing symptoms for the BCS were ascites (74.8%) and abdominal pain (42.6%). The most common site of thrombosis was the hepatic veins (72.2%). Involvement of the inferior vena cava alone was observed in 3 patients. According to the radiological investigations, BCS was primary in 94.7% of the cases (n = 109) and secondary in 5.2% (n = 6). An aetiology was identified in 77.4% of the patients (n = 89); it was multifactorial in 27% (n = 31). The predominant aetiology of BCS in our patients was a myeloproliferative disease, observed in 34.6% of cases. APLS was found in 21.7% and celiac disease in 11.4%. Other acquired conditions were: PNH (n = 4), systemic disease (n = 6) and inflammatory bowel disease (n = 5). Anticoagulant protein deficiency was diagnosed in 28% of the patients (n = 18), dominated by protein C deficiency (n = 13). Secondary BCS was caused by a compressing hydatic cyst (n = 5) and hepatocellular carcinoma (n = 1)., Conclusion: The main aetiologic factor of BCS in Algeria is MPD. The frequency of celiac disease justifies its consideration when BCS is diagnosed in our region.