title: Efficacy and Safety of Povidone-iodine Pleurodesis in Malignant Pleural Effusions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) is determined by the detection of malignant cells in pleural fluid or pleural tissue. Neoplasm of lung, breast, ovary and lymphoma are the causes of more than 75% of MPE. Pleurodesis is a usual technique in the management of MPE to achieve a symphysis between two layers of the pleura, and various chemical agents have been used in an attempt to produce pleurodesis. With regard to complications and limitations of these sclerosing agents, efficacy and safety of povidone-iodine have been investigated in this study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between June 2014 and June 2016, 63 consecutive patients were admitted to the Department of Thoracic Surgery because of symptomatic MPE. After insertion of a chest tube, pleurodesis with instillation of povidone-iodine was performed. Thyroid and renal function tests were checked, and success rate as well as recurrence of MPE was monitored in the next follow-up visits.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The complete response to this procedure was about 53.57%, and failure of treatment was 10.71% with efficacy of 82.2%. The most common complication was pain during instillation (26.9%). Changes in thyroid and renal function tests were not significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Povidone-iodine is a safe and effective agent with minor side effects in pleurodesis of patients with MPEs and can be used as an accessible and low-cost alternative than other sclerosing agents.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran.
authors.forename: Hadi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kahrom
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran.
authors.forename: Manouchehr
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aghajanzadeh
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Asgari
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Ghaem Hospital, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Mahdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kahrom
keywords: Malignant pleural effusion; pleurodesis; povidone-iodine