Implantation of permanent pleural catheter for palliation of malignant pleural effusion

Abstract

Purpose

Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) is a disabling condition caused in most instances by far-advanced cancer. The treatment is palliative and should ideally be minimally invasive. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the effectiveness of implantation of a permanent PleurX catheter in the treatment of recurrent MPE in patients with terminal cancer disease.

Patients and methods

Eighteen consecutive patients with terminal cancer and MPE, who had a permanent PleurX catheter implanted in the period from February 2014 to August 2015, were retrospectively evaluated. Medical records were reviewed for data on procedures and patients.

Results

Twenty-two PleurX catheters were implanted in the pleural cavity of 18 patients. The technical success rate was 100%. All patients had relief of symptoms. Catheter patency was 91%. Six patients experienced minor adverse events (AEs) and two patients experienced moderate-to-severe AEs. The median survival time for the 14 patients who died during follow-up was 45 days.

Conclusion

Implantation of a permanent PleurX catheter is a safe procedure with a high success rate and only few AEs. The procedure has the potential to serve as an effective procedure for palliation of recurrent MPE in terminal cancer patients.

Keywords:

• malignant pleural effusion
• permanent catheter
• terminal cancer

Acknowledgments

We used the same procedures as in our previous research “Malignant ascites in patients with terminal cancer is effectively treated with permanent peritoneal catheter” published in Acta Radiol Open, 2015.

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.