title: The use of the PleurX catheter in the management of non-malignant pleural effusions.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effectiveness of the PleurX catheter in the management of recurrent non-malignant pleural effusions.
  
  
  METHODS
  All subjects who underwent a PleurX catheter placement between 2003 and 2009 were evaluated. General demographic data, time to pleurodesis, complications, and a satisfaction questionnaire were collected. The subjects were divided into two groups. Group I included patients with non-malignant effusions and group II included patients with malignant effusions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 64 subjects were included in the final data analysis. A total of 23 subjects were included in group I and 41 subjects were included in group II. The diagnoses in group I included congestive heart failure (CHF; 13), hepatic hydrothorax (8), traumatic bloody (1), and idiopathic exudative (1). The diagnoses in group II included lung cancer (20), breast cancer (11), colon cancer (5), prostate cancer (2), B-cell lymphoma (2), and mesothelioma (1). The time to pleurodesis was 36 ± 12 days for group II compared to 110.8 ± 41 days for group I (p < 0.0001). The mean satisfaction score was similar in both groups (3.8 ± 0.4). Time to pleurodesis was significantly shorter in hepatic hydrothorax compared to CHF (73.6 ± 9 days vs. 113 ± 36 days, p = 0.006). There was one case of exit site infection in a patient with hepatic hydrothorax. Among subjects who were alive at 3 months after the catheter removal, none had recurrence of their pleural effusion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Denver catheter was effective in achieving pleurodesis in non-malignant pleural effusions. The complication rate was low and patient satisfaction was high.
authors.affiliation: Pulmonary and Critical Care, Staten Island University Hospital, NY, USA. chalhoubmichel@gmail.com
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chalhoub
authors.forename: Kassem
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Castellano
authors.forename: Rabih
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Maroun
authors.forename: Ghada
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bourjeily
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D006876:Hydrothorax / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D016066:Pleural Effusion, Malignant / Q000628:therapy; D018700:Pleurodesis / Q000379:methods*; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors