title: Indwelling pleural catheters for non-malignant effusions: a multicentre review of practice.
abstract: Indwelling pleural catheters (IPCs) are commonly used in the management of malignant pleural effusion (MPE). There is little data on their use in non-malignant conditions. All IPC insertions for non-malignant cases from five large UK centres were found using prospectively maintained databases. Data were collected on 57 IPC insertions. The commonest indications were hepatic hydrothorax (33%) and inflammatory pleuritis (26%). The mean weekly fluid output was 2.8 L (SD 2.52). 48/57 (84%) patients had no complications. Suspected pleural infection was documented in 2 (3.5%) cases. 33% (19/57) of patients underwent 'spontaneous' pleurodesis at a median time of 71 days. Patients with hepatic disease achieved pleurodesis significantly less often than those with non-hepatic disease (p=0.03). These data support the use of IPCs in select cases of non-malignant disease when maximal medical therapy has failed.
authors.affiliation: Academic Respiratory Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: Rahul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bhatnagar
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: Elaine D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Reid
authors.affiliation: Oxford Centre for Respiratory Medicine, Churchill Hospital, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: John P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Corcoran
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: Jessamy D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Bagenal
authors.affiliation: Lung Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialist, Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust, Exeter, UK.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pope
authors.affiliation: Academic Respiratory Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: Amelia O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Clive
authors.affiliation: Academic Respiratory Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: Natalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zahan-Evans
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust, Exeter, UK.
authors.forename: Peter O
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Froeschle
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: Douglas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: West
authors.affiliation: Oxford Centre for Respiratory Medicine, Churchill Hospital, Oxford, UK Oxford Respiratory Trials Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Najib M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Rahman
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: Sumit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chatterji
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: Pasupathy R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Sivasothy
authors.affiliation: Academic Respiratory Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: Nick A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Maskell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling; D004322:Drainage / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000628:therapy*; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Empyema; Pleural Disease