Objective: To describe a rare case of unilateral hydrothorax occurrence after ovarian stimulation for IVF.
Design: Case report.
Setting: A university hospital.
Patient(s): A 39-year-old female suffering from primary infertility due to a severe male factor.
Intervention(s): Thoracocentesis with IV albumin administration for correction of a concomitant hypoalbuminemia.
Main outcome measure(s): Laboratory values of hematologic measures and electrolytes, screening of the thoracic fluid aspirated for viral and bacterial infections, resolution of pleural effusion after the second thoracocentesis as determined by chest roentgenogram.
Result(s): Treatment of this manifestation of the ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) by thoracocentesis with albumin perfusion.
Conclusion(s): This report describes a very rare case of thoracic complication after ovarian stimulation. It demonstrates that pleural effusion may be the only manifestation of the OHSS and implies a careful management of patients with pulmonary complaints after treatment with exogenous gonadotropins.