Octreotide in the outpatient therapy of cirrhotic chylous ascites: A case report

Chylous ascites is a rare complication of liver cirrhosis associated with a poor short-term prognosis. We report the case of an 80-year-old male cirrhotic patient with refractory chylous ascites associated with portal hypertension. He was treated with total parenteral nutrition but chylous ascites relapsed at suspension. Patient was put on long-term subcutaneous octreotide (100 μg t.i.d.) as an outpatient. The treatment was well tolerated and led to clinical improvement, markedly reducing the need of total paracentesis and the amount of ascites. Octreotide was stopped after 6 months, and massive ascites did not relapse. After 1 year the patient was alive, with no need of paracentesis. Octreotide therapy should be considered in patients with cirrhosis and chylous ascites to simplify the outpatient management of the disease.