TY - JOUR
A2 - Molinos, L.
AU - Bediwy, Adel Salah
AU - Amer, Hesham Galal
PY - 2012
DA - 2012/01/31
TI - Pigtail Catheter Use for Draining Pleural Effusions of Various Etiologies
SP - 143295
VL - 2012
AB - Background. Use of small-bore pigtail catheter is a less invasive way for draining pleural effusions than chest tube thoracostomy. Methods. Prospectively, we evaluated efficacy and safety of pigtail catheter (8.5–14 French) insertion in 51 cases of pleural effusion of various etiologies. Malignant effusion cases had pleurodesis done through the catheter. Results. Duration of drainage of pleural fluid was 3–14 days. Complications included pain (23 patients), pneumothorax (10 patients), catheter blockage (two patients), and infection (one patient). Overall success rate was 82.35% (85.71% for transudative, 83.33% for tuberculous, 81.81% for malignant, and 80% for parapneumonic effusion). Nine cases had procedure failure, five due to loculated effusions, and four due to rapid reaccumulation of fluid after catheter removal. Only two empyema cases (out of six) had a successful procedure. Conclusion. Pigtail catheter insertion is an effective and safe method of draining pleural fluid. We encourage its use for all cases of pleural effusion requiring chest drain except for empyema and other loculated effusions that yielded low success rate.
SN - null
UR - https://doi.org/10.5402/2012/143295
DO - 10.5402/2012/143295
JF - ISRN Pulmonology
PB - International Scholarly Research Network
KW -
ER -