title: Implantation of permanent pleural catheter for palliation of malignant pleural effusion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  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.
  
  
  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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Gastroenterology.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meier
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Gastroenterology.
authors.forename: Marie Riis
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Mortensen
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: Lene Unmack
authors.initials: LU
authors.lastname: Larsen
keywords: malignant pleural effusion; permanent catheter; terminal cancer