title: Pleuroperitoneal shunting for intractable pleural effusions.
abstract: Pleuroperitoneal shunts were implanted in 17 patients with intractable pleural effusions, 15 of which were malignant and 2 benign. Complicating factors included 13 instances of severe trapped lung and 3 cases of synchronous ascites. There was one hospital death. Palliation of dyspnea at rest was achieved in all patients, although 3 required oxygen with exertion. Four shunts became occluded between 1 and 10 months after placement. Two of these were replaced. The remaining conduits continued to function to the present or until the patients' deaths between 1 and 28 months. Shunting allowed hospital discharge and provided symptomatic relief in a group of patients in whom other approaches had failed or were not applicable.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Hospital of Saint Raphael, New Haven, Connecticut.
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Ponn
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Blancaflor
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: D'Agostino
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Kiernan
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Toole
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Stern
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D010166:Palliative Care; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*