Ultrasound-guided intrapleural positioning of pleural catheters: influence on immediate lung expansion and pleurodesis in patients with recurrent malignant pleural effusion

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the role of intrapleural positioning of a pleural catheter in early lung expansion and pleurodesis success in patients with recurrent malignant pleural effusion (RMPE). Methods: This was a retrospective study nested into a larger prospective cohort study including patients with RMPE recruited from a tertiary university teaching hospital between June of 2009 and September of 2014. The patients underwent pleural catheter insertion followed by bedside pleurodesis. Chest CT scans were performed twice: immediately before pleurodesis (iCT) and 30 days after pleurodesis (CT30). Catheter positioning was categorized based on iCT scans as posterolateral, anterior, fissural, and subpulmonary. We used the pleural volume on iCT scans to estimate early lung expansion and the difference between the pleural volumes on CT30 and iCT scans to evaluate radiological success of pleurodesis. Clinical pleurodesis success was defined as no need for any other pleural procedure. Results: Of the 131 eligible patients from the original study, 85 were included in this nested study (64 women; mean age: 60.74 years). Catheter tip positioning was subpulmonary in 35 patients (41%), anterior in 23 (27%), posterolateral in 17 (20%), and fissural in 10 (12%). No significant differences were found among the groups regarding early lung expansion (median residual pleural cavity = 377 mL; interquartile range: 171-722 mL; p = 0.645), radiological success of pleurodesis (median volume = 33 mL; interquartile range: −225 to 257 mL; p = 0.923), and clinical success of pleurodesis (85.8%; p = 0.676). Conclusions: Our results suggest that the position of the tip of the pleural catheter influences neither early lung expansion nor bedside pleurodesis success in patients with RMPE.

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Indwelling Pleural Catheter (IPC) Versus Chemical Pleurodesis (CP) for the Management of Malignant Pleural Effusion (MPE): A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

10.1164/ajrccm-conference.2020.201.1_meetingabstracts.a4196 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

R.K. Velagapudi ◽

S. Upadhaya ◽

M.A. Tamae Kakazu

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Pleural Effusion ◽

Malignant Pleural Effusion ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Chemical Pleurodesis ◽

Indwelling Pleural Catheter ◽

Pleural Catheter

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Management of malignant pleural effusion. A retrospective study comparing efficiency and outcomes of VATS talcum pleurodesis, insertion of tunneled pleural catheter (PleurX®), and a combination of both

British Journal of Surgery ◽

10.1093/bjs/znab202.076 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 108 (Supplement_4) ◽

Author(s):

L F Azenha Figueiredo ◽

S Deckarm ◽

G Kocher

Keyword(s):

Pleural Effusion ◽

Length Of Stay ◽

Malignant Pleural Effusion ◽

Treatment Strategies ◽

Secondary Outcome ◽

Oncological Disease ◽

Day Range ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Pleural Catheter ◽

Talcum Pleurodesis

Abstract Objective The management of malignant pleural effusion is a common problem in thoracic surgery. Patients are often polymorbid and are usually referred at a terminal stage of their oncological disease. Our objective was to compare the efficiency and outcomes after different treatment strategies of malignant pleural effusion. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the charts of a total of 416 patients treated during the period of 2010 to 2020 who underwent thoracoscopic pleurodesis with or without implantation of tunneled pleural catheter (TPC) as well as patients who underwent the implantation of TPC alone. Primary outcome was postoperative survival and secondary outcome was length of stay (LOS). In addition, we documented the recurrence of ipsilateral pleural effusion and the need for reintervention as well as the pulmonary reexpansion of the lung on postoperative chest x-ray. Inclusion criteria were malignant pleural effusion and documented follow-up until time of death. Exclusion criteria were treatment for mesothelioma, pneumothorax and emphysema. Results A total of 199 patients were included for analysis. Median LOS of patients treated with implantation of TPC alone in analgosedation (n = 28) was 1 day (range:1-4 days). Median LOS of patients who received video-assisted talcum pleurodesis (n = 65) without implantation of a TPC was 6 days (range 1-38 days). Median LOS of patients who received VATS talcum pleurodesis and TPC (n = 106) was 3 days (range 1-34 day). The difference in LOS was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Median overall survival was 108 days (range 3-3001 days). There was no statistically significant difference in survival between the different treatment groups (p = 0.47). Conclusion The primary goal when treating patients with malignant pleural effusion is relief of dyspnea and/or pain and to keep the duration of the inpatient treatment to a minimum. In patients with a considerable surgical risk due to comorbidities and their underlying oncological disease and who don’t require the sampling of histological material, a conservative treatment option with implantation of a TPC can be sufficient. The additional insertion of a TPC not only reduces the length of stay, but also has a positive effect on the efficacy of the pleurodesis in terms of less recurrence. We therefore recommend the routine use of TPC when performing VATS talcum pleurodesis in patients with malignant pleural effusion.

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