Management of malignant pleural effusion. A retrospective study comparing efficiency and outcomes of VATS talcum pleurodesis, insertion of tunneled pleural catheter (PleurX®), and a combination of both

Abstract

Objective The management of malignant pleural effusion is a common problem in thoracic surgery. Patients are often polymorbid and are usually referred at a terminal stage of their oncological disease. Our objective was to compare the efficiency and outcomes after different treatment strategies of malignant pleural effusion. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the charts of a total of 416 patients treated during the period of 2010 to 2020 who underwent thoracoscopic pleurodesis with or without implantation of tunneled pleural catheter (TPC) as well as patients who underwent the implantation of TPC alone. Primary outcome was postoperative survival and secondary outcome was length of stay (LOS). In addition, we documented the recurrence of ipsilateral pleural effusion and the need for reintervention as well as the pulmonary reexpansion of the lung on postoperative chest x-ray. Inclusion criteria were malignant pleural effusion and documented follow-up until time of death. Exclusion criteria were treatment for mesothelioma, pneumothorax and emphysema. Results A total of 199 patients were included for analysis. Median LOS of patients treated with implantation of TPC alone in analgosedation (n = 28) was 1 day (range:1-4 days). Median LOS of patients who received video-assisted talcum pleurodesis (n = 65) without implantation of a TPC was 6 days (range 1-38 days). Median LOS of patients who received VATS talcum pleurodesis and TPC (n = 106) was 3 days (range 1-34 day). The difference in LOS was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Median overall survival was 108 days (range 3-3001 days). There was no statistically significant difference in survival between the different treatment groups (p = 0.47). Conclusion The primary goal when treating patients with malignant pleural effusion is relief of dyspnea and/or pain and to keep the duration of the inpatient treatment to a minimum. In patients with a considerable surgical risk due to comorbidities and their underlying oncological disease and who don’t require the sampling of histological material, a conservative treatment option with implantation of a TPC can be sufficient. The additional insertion of a TPC not only reduces the length of stay, but also has a positive effect on the efficacy of the pleurodesis in terms of less recurrence. We therefore recommend the routine use of TPC when performing VATS talcum pleurodesis in patients with malignant pleural effusion.