The Role of Palliative Surgery in the Management of Acute Intestinal Obstruction Secondary to Peritoneal Carcinomatosis.

Introduction: Acute intestinal obstruction secondary to extensive peritoneal carcinomatosis is an end stage event. The role of palliative surgery in these patients is debatable in view of the anticipated severe complications and its doubtful role in achieving adequate palliation. The primary objective of our study was to evaluate the feasibility and ability of patients to resume oral nutrition after palliative surgery for acute intestinal obstruction due to peritoneal carcinomatosis. Patients and Methods: It is an observational study in which we retrospectively reviewed the data from a prospectively maintained clinical database of 40 patients. The predefined pre- and intraoperative variables were obtained. The immediate outcome variables like postoperative complications, length of hospital stay, and mortality were analyzed. The short-term outcomes at 3 months in the form of survival, ability to resume enteral nutrition were analyzed. Results: Among the 40 patients 18 were males and 22 females. Ovarian cancer was the most common primary (27.5%) in the study. Twelve patients had acute intestinal obstruction as their first presentation without any past events and 25 (62.5%) patients had been operated on previously or received adjuvant systemic treatment. The palliative surgical option was technically feasible in 37 (93.5%) patients. The median length of hospitalization for the patients who were discharged was 10 days with a range of 6-18 days. Six (15%) patients died in the postoperative period. Severe post-operative complications were seen in 9 (26.4%) patients. Among the patients (n=34) discharged 26 (76.4%) were alive at 3 months. In those who were alive, 21 (80.7%) of them were on some form of oral nutrition at 3 months. Conclusion: Palliative surgery in patients with acute intestinal obstruction secondary to peritoneal carcinomatosis is feasible with acceptable morbidity and mortality. The enteral nutrition can be restored in the majority of these patients.

Laparoscopic extraction of a symptomatic upper abdominal pedunculated parietal peritoneal lipoma arising intermittent abdominal pain: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Lipomas arising in the parietal peritoneum are rare, and some of them cause abdominal pain due to torsion of the pedunculated peritoneum. We encountered a case of parietal peritoneal lipoma arising upper peritoneum. In this report, we describe the detail of clinical presentation and discuss its potential pathogenesis and treatment strategy. CASE PRESENTATION: 45 year-old Japanese female patient presented with long-lasting intermittent pain in the left upper abdominal region. Abdominal imaging showed a well-defined fatty mass measuring 40 mm in size, suggesting a parietal peritoneal lipoma. Laparoscopy revealed a tumor with a twisted peduncle; however, no adhesion of the surrounding tissues and ischemic changes were visible. The tumor was easily removed by dissection of the tumor pedicle. CONCLUSION: Parietal peritoneal lipoma often shows pedunculated form and it causes abdominal pain by the torsion of tumor pedicle. Therefore, this type of lipoma should be considered a more aggressive surgery.

Safety and efficacy of sirolimus in recurrent intravenous leiomyomatosis, pulmonary benign metastatic leiomyomatosis, and leiomyomatosis peritonealis disseminata: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Intravenous leiomyomatosis (IVL), pulmonary benign metastatic leiomyomatosis (PBML), and leiomyomatosis peritonealis disseminata (LPD) are leiomyomas with special growth patterns and high postoperative recurrence rates. We report the safety and efficacy of a pilot study of sirolimus in the treatment of recurrent IVL, PBML, and recurrent LPD. METHODS: This was a pilot study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of sirolimus in the treatment of leiomyomatosis (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT03500367) conducted in China. Patients received oral sirolimus 2 mg once a day for a maximum of 60 months or until disease progression, intolerable toxicity, withdrawal of consent, or investigator decision to stop. The primary end point of this study was the objective response rate. Secondary end points included safety and tolerability, disease control rate, and progression-free survival. RESULTS: A total of 15 patients with leiomyomatosis were included in the study, including five with recurrent IVL, eight with PBML and two with recurrent LPD. The median follow-up time was 15 months (range 6-54 months), nine patients (60%) had treatment-related adverse events (including all levels), and two patients had treatment-related grade 3 or 4 adverse events. The objective response rate was 20.0% (95% CI, 7.1-45.2%), and the disease control rate was 86.7% (95% CI, 62.1-96.3%). Partial response was achieved in three patients. The median response time in the three partial response patients was 33 months (range 29-36 months), and the sustained remission time of these three patients reached 0, 18, and 25 months, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Sirolimus was safe and effective in the treatment of recurrent IVL, PBML, and recurrent LPD. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT03500367. Registered on 18 April 2018.

Reappraisal of a Renovated Cell-free and Concentrated Ascites Reinfusion Therapy for Malignant Ascites.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Cell-free and concentrated ascites reinfusion therapy (CART) was established for refractory ascites and renovated CART (Keisuke Matsusaki (KM) -CART) has been recently developed especially for malignant ascites; however, the actual clinical efficacy of KM-CART has been rarely reported. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We performed 226 KM-CART procedures in 104 patients with malignant ascites in three hospitals from August 2013 to September 2018. Medical records were retrospectively reviewed for ascites data, related complications, symptoms before and after each CART and prognosis after the first CART. The modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS) was reviewed before every procedure, as an indicator of nutritional status. RESULTS: Pancreatic cancer was the most common indication for the KM-CART procedure, followed by gastric cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, ovarian cancer, and cholangiocarcinoma (five major diseases). The 50% survival times of these five major diseases after the first procedure were 25, 39, 31, 49, and 33 days, respectively. The mean survival time for all patients was 73.5 days, and 75.6 days for those with the five major diseases. All patients experienced symptomatic relief, and complications were rare. Repeated KM-CART was performed in 47.1% of the patients, most often in those with ovarian cancer (66.7%). Regarding the mGPS at the first CART procedure, 89% of patients were in the group with the poorest nutritional status. Patients who underwent KM-CART three or more times had longer survival than those who were treated once or twice. CONCLUSION: Repeated KM-CART provides a survival benefit for patients with malignant ascites, even in cases of poor nutritional status.

Conversion therapy with pembrolizumab for a peritoneal metastasis of rectal cancer causing hydronephrosis in a patient with Lynch syndrome.

A 44-year-old woman with Lynch syndrome was referred to our hospital for treatment of recurrence of microsatellite instability-high rectal cancer. [18F]Fluorodeoxyglucose (18FDG)-positron emission tomography revealed a peritoneal metastasis with invasion to the small intestine and left ureter. The peritoneal metastasis was diagnosed initially as unresectable because of extensive invasion to the left ureter requiring nephrectomy. Hence, first-line treatment with pembrolizumab was started. After the first course of pembrolizumab, she developed hydronephrosis and a resulting urinary tract infection (UTI). A percutaneous nephrostomy was performed to control the UTI. After six courses of pembrolizumab, 18FDG-positron emission tomography showed that the peritoneal metastasis was smaller with significantly reduced 18FDG uptake, and it was then diagnosed as resectable without nephrectomy. She underwent R0 resection of the peritoneal metastasis with partial resection of the small intestine. Intraoperatively, the peritoneal metastasis showed no invasion of the left ureter, allowing its preservation. The percutaneous nephrostomy was removed postoperatively, and she has not developed any subsequent UTIs. Histopathologically, the tumor showed a pathological complete response to pembrolizumab. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of conversion therapy with pembrolizumab for peritoneal metastasis with hydronephrosis.

Malignant Peritoneal Mesothelioma Complicating Familial Mediterranean Fever on 18 F-FDG PET/CT.

ABSTRACT: A 77-year-old man with a personal history of familial Mediterranean fever presented with a slowly enlarging tumefaction of the left abdominal wall and persistent inflammatory syndrome despite good adherence to colchicine. 18 F-FDG PET/CT showed a hypermetabolic muscular mass of the abdominal wall along with other hypermetabolic lesions including a peritoneal mass and several subcutaneous soft tissue nodules. CT-guided needle biopsy led to the diagnosis of a muscular localization of a malignant peritoneal mesothelioma, which is an extremely rare complication of familial Mediterranean fever. Six courses of chemotherapy with carboplatin and pemetrexed allowed an almost complete response.

Risk factors and prognosis of malignant peritoneal mesothelioma with paraneoplastic syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare and highly aggressive tumor. Its clinical manifestations are diverse, and the symptoms are not specific. Some patients will develop paraneoplastic syndrome (PS) during the disease course. This study aims to analyze the risk factors of PS in patients with MPM and their impacts on prognosis. METHODS: The clinical data of MPM patients who underwent cytoreductive surgery plus hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS + HIPEC) at our center from June 2015 to May 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. MPM patients were divided into PS group and non-PS group according to the diagnostic criteria. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to explore the risk factors of PS in MPM patients, and to analyze the impact of PS on prognosis. RESULTS: There were 146 MPM patients in this study, including 60 patients (41.1%) with PS and 86 patients (58.9%) without PS. The highest incidence of PS was thrombocytosis (33.6%), followed by neoplastic fever (9.6%). Univariate analysis revealed 8 factors (P < 0.05) with statistically significant differences between the two groups: prior surgical scores, targeted therapy history, Karnofsky performance status score, preoperative carbohydrate antigen (CA) 125 level, vascular tumor embolus, peritoneal cancer index, completeness of cytoreduction (CC) score and intraoperative ascites. Multivariate analysis identified 3 independent factors associated with PS: preoperative CA 125 level, vascular tumor embolus, and CC score. Survival analysis demonstrated that MPM patients with PS had worse prognosis, although PS was not an independent prognostic factor. CONCLUSIONS: PS is not rare in patients with MPM, and is independently associated with preoperative CA 125 level, vascular tumor embolus and CC score. PS often indicates advanced disease and poor prognosis.

Progress in the treatment of malignant ascites.

Malignant ascites occurs as a symptom of the terminal stage of cancer, affecting the quality of life through abdominal distension, pain, nausea, anorexia, dyspnea and other symptoms. We describe the current main drug treatments in addition to surgery according to the traditional and new strategies. Traditional treatments were based on anti-tumor chemotherapy and traditional Chinese medicine treatments, as well as diuretics to relieve the patient's symptoms. New treatments mainly involve photothermal therapy, intestinal therapy and targeted immunity. This study emphasizes that both traditional and new therapies have certain advantages and disadvantages, and medication should be adjusted according to different periods of use and different patients. In conclusion, this article reviews the literature to systematically describe the primary treatment modalities for malignant ascites.

Factors Affecting Performance of DNA Methylation as a Potential Biomarker in Ascites for Peritonitis and Peritoneal Carcinomatosis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Despite limited sensitivity, the gold standard for the diagnosis of malignant cells in ascites is still cytology. The aim of this prospective proof-of-principle study was to evaluate DNA methylation as a molecular tool for the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant ascites. METHODS: A cohort of 79 patients with malignant and non-malignant ascites was prospectively enrolled. Ascites was assessed by cytopathological and laboratory examination. Cell pellets obtained by centrifugation were analyzed for differences in DNA methylation of of long interspersed nuclear element-1 (LINE-1) and microRNA-137. Quantitative determination of methylation in bisulfite-converted DNA was performed by pyrosequencing. In a subsequent stage, we compared our data to previously published data in the field following systematic review of the literature. RESULTS: Methylation status of studied LINE-1 and microRNA-137 could be reliably detected in all samples. Systematic evaluation revealed reliable reproducibility with satisfactory short- and long-term stability against degradation. Ascites from patients with a malignancy had a significantly higher methylation level of microRNA-137 compared with patients without tumor disease, whereas patients with peritonitis had significantly decreased methylation of microRNA-137. In contrast, differences in the measurement of the methylation status of LINE-1 could only be detected between patients with portal hypertension and a combination of malignant and infectious ascites. Inflammatory cells reflecting peritonitis correlated to DNA methylation changes. CONCLUSIONS: Analysis of DNA methylation in ascites is technically feasible, well reproducible and may lead to identification of potential biomarkers for peritoneal carcinomatosis and other conditions. Inflammatory cells due to peritonitis may also be associated with DNA methylation changes and need to be considered in future studies. Profiling studied under standardized conditions will be needed to identify the appropriate biomarkers for differential diagnosis of ascites.

Palliative surgery as a bridge to systemic treatment for malignant bowel obstruction due to peritoneal metastases: A retrospective, case-control study.

BACKGROUND: High-quality data on palliative surgery in patients with malignant bowel obstruction (MBO) caused by peritoneal metastases (PM) are lacking. We aimed to determine the utility of palliative surgery for such patients. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed patients considered for surgery for MBO, caused by PM, in our department from January 2019 to October 2020. None of them could tolerate a diet, despite conservative treatment. We investigated the clinical characteristics and perioperative outcomes and calculated overall survival (OS). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed, with the log-rank test to evaluate differences in OS rates. Multivariate Cox regression was performed to determine prognostic factors. RESULTS: Sixty (67%) patients underwent surgery, whereas, 30 (33%) received the best supportive care (BSC) treatment. A better (p = 0.002) median OS was observed in patients undergoing surgery (3.9 months) than in those receiving BSC (2.6 months). Severe complications were observed in 12 (20%) patients, including 30-day mortality (7 patients). Forty-eight (80%) patients in the surgery group could tolerate a diet and the hospital stay (mean ± standard deviation) was 20.0 ± 23.1 days. Re-obstruction was observed in five (8.3%) patients after 78.6 ± 63.3 days. Patients in the postoperative chemotherapy group exhibited a better (p < 0.001) median OS (12.3 months) than did those in the no-postoperative chemotherapy group (3.5 months). Only postoperative chemotherapy (hazard ratio 0.264, 95% confidence interval 0.143-0.487, p < 0.001) was identified as an independent prognostic factor. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with BSC, surgery is associated with a better OS in patients with MBO due to PM. Surgery should be considered as a bridge to systemic treatment for such patients.

Lymphomatosis as a Cause of Abdominal Pain and Distension in Two Adult Horses.

Two equine patients presented separately with severe abdominal distention, colic, lethargy, and decreased appetite. An ante-mortem diagnosis of lymphoma was reached in each case based on peritoneal fluid cytology. Due to a poor prognosis, the horses were humanely euthanized. Post-mortem examination with histology and immunohistochemistry confirmed both cases as lymphoma: alimentary B-cell lymphoma of the distal jejunum and cecum in one case, and T-cell lymphoma of the cecum in the second case. Both cases exhibited extensive metastasis with peritoneal and pleural serosae covered in small nodules and plaque like masses consistent with lymphomatosis. These cases document a unique presentation of lymphoma in equine patients presenting as peritoneal lymphomatosis with ascites.

Comprehensive Diagnosis and Management of Malignant Bowel Obstruction: A Review.

Malignant bowel obstruction is a common complication of advanced gastrointestinal, gynecologic, and genitourinary tumors. Patients present with nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and constipation. Cross-sectional imaging is essential to make a diagnosis of bowel obstruction. Initial management is conservative with fluid replacement, electrolyte replacement, bowel rest and sometimes nasogastric decompression. Numerous advanced options exist for definitive management, though none are overly promising but nevertheless may improve quality and quantity of life. Surgical bypass, endoscopic stenting, and endoscopic decompression are some of the options with variable efficacy and are employed in select patients. Chemotherapy may be utilized if the bowel obstruction resolves to reduce tumor burden in a limited number of patients. Parenteral nutrition is an option and should typically be used in surgical patients with good functional and nutritional status with limited tumor burden or curative intent. Palliative care and hospice should be discussed in patients with advanced malignancy who present with peritoneal carcinomatosis or multiple levels of obstruction. Overall prognosis of malignant bowel obstruction is poor, and median survival ranges from 26 to 192 days.

Fluid administration in cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy: neither too much nor too little

Abstract Introduction Intraoperative fluid therapy in cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy plays an important role in postoperative morbidity. Studies have found an association between overload fluid therapy and increased postoperative complications, advising restrictive intraoperative fluid therapy. Our objective in this study was to compare the morbidity associated with restrictive versus non-restrictive intraoperative fluid therapy. Methods Retrospective analysis of a database collected prospectively in the Anesthesiology Service of Virgen del Rocío Hospital, from December 2016 to April 2019. One hundred and six patients who underwent complete cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy were divided into two cohorts according to Fluid Therapy received 1. Restrictive ≤ 9 mL.kg-1.h-1 (34 patients), 2. Non-restrictive ≥ 9 mL.kg-1.h-1 (72 patients). Percentage of major complications (Clavien-Dindo grade III-IV) and length hospital stay were the main outcomes variables. Results Of the 106 enrolled patients, 68.9% were women; 46.2% had ovarian cancer, 35.84% colorectal cancer, and 7.5% peritoneal cancer. The average fluid administration rate was 11 ± 3.58 mL.kg-1.h-1. The restrictive group suffered a significantly higher percentage of Clavien-Dindo grade III-IV complications (35.29%) compared with the non-restrictive group (15.27%) (p= 0.02). The relative risk associated with restrictive therapy was 1.968 (95% confidence interval: 1.158-3.346). We also found a significant difference for hospital length of stay, 20.91 days in the restrictive group vs 16.19 days in the non-restrictive group (p= 0.038). Conclusions Intraoperative fluid therapy restriction below 9 mL.kg-1.h-1 in cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy was associated with a higher percentage of major postoperative complications.

The Significance of Staging Laparoscopy in Detection of Radiologically Occult Peritoneal Carcinomatosis in Gastric Cancer With Gastric Outlet Obstruction: Consideration of The Optimal Treatment Approach.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Gastric cancer with gastric outlet obstruction (GOO) is generally found at an advanced stage and with an unfavorable prognosis. This study was performed to examine the prevalence of radiologically occult peritoneal carcinomatosis in GOO and determine the optimal treatment strategy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This single-center study was a retrospective review of the clinical data of 186 patients with locally advanced gastric cancer at the distal stomach who underwent surgery from 2008 to 2016. These patients were divided into two groups according to the presence or absence of GOO due to cancer progression: With GOO (n=71) and without GOO (n=115). RESULTS: The incidence of peritoneal carcinomatosis [with macroscopic peritoneal deposits (P1)/positive peritoneal cytology (CY1)] detected at laparotomy/laparoscopy was significantly higher in the group with GOO than in the group without (32.4% vs. 9.6%, p<0.01). The R0 resection rate was lower in the group with GOO (62.0% vs. 87.0%, p<0.01). The 5-year overall survival rate was also lower in the group with GOO (43.9% vs. 68.5%, p<0.01). However, in the subset of patients who underwent R0 surgery, the 5-year rates were similar for the two groups (67.4% vs. 73.1%, p=0.91). The multivariable analysis showed that a type 3 tumor appearance (odds ratio=3.66) and presence of GOO (odds ratio=2.87) were predictors of peritoneal carcinomatosis. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of radiologically occult peritoneal carcinomatosis in gastric cancer with GOO exceeded 30%. Staging laparoscopy (gastrojejunal bypass, if needed) should be performed to determine the optimal treatment plan.

Clinical impact of surgical treatment for the spontaneously ruptured resectable hepatocellular carcinoma: A single institution experience.

Spontaneously ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma (srHCC) is a fatal complication of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In addition, emergency treatment is frequently fraught with difficulties. This study aimed to investigate the prognosis and recurrence pattern in patients undergoing hepatectomy for the srHCC. This retrospective study included 11 patients with srHCC treated using either emergency hepatectomy or emergency transarterial embolization (TAE) followed by staged hepatectomy between January 2015 and December 2019. The patients visited the emergency room because of a sudden rupture of HCC without being diagnosed with HCC. We analyzed the prognosis, recurrence rate, and survival in these patients after hepatectomy. Four of the 11 patients in this study were classified as Child-Pugh class A and 7 as Child-Pugh class B. Nine patients visited for sudden onset of abdominal pain, and 2 for sudden onset of shock. The median hemoglobin level at the time of the visit was 11.5 g/dL (interquartile range: 9.8-12.7). Five patients underwent one-stage hepatectomy and 6 underwent emergency TAE hemostasis followed by staged hepatectomy. Median overall survival and recurrence-free survivals were 23 and 15 months, respectively. Recurrence occurred in 7 patients (4 in the one-stage group and 3 in the staged group). Among patients with recurrence, 6 had intrahepatic recurrence and 3 peritoneal metastases. Patients with srHCC who undergo staged hepatectomy can achieve a relatively good prognosis. The most common sites of recurrence after hepatectomy are intrahepatic and peritoneal. Peritoneal metastases are more likely to occur after one-stage hepatectomy.

ASCITIC AND SERUM LEVELS OF TUMOR BIOMARKERS (CA 72-4, CA 19-9, CEA AND CA 125) IN DISCRIMINATION OF CAUSE OF ASCITES: A PROSPECTIVE STUDY.

BACKGROUND: The role of ascitic and serum levels of various tumour biomarkers in the discrimination of cause of ascites is not well established. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of serum and ascitic levels of tumor biomarkers (CA 72-4, CA 19-9, CEA and CA 125) in discrimination of cause of ascites. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted in consecutive patients presenting with ascites. Serum and ascitic levels of CA 19-9, CA 125, CA 72-4 and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) were determined at the presentation. The patients with cirrhotic ascites, tuberculous peritonitis (TBP) and peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) were eventually included in analysis. RESULTS: Of the 93 patients (58 males, mean age 47 years) included, the underlying cause was cirrhosis in 31, PC in 42 and peritoneal tuberculosis in 20. The best cutoff for discriminating benign and malignant ascites for serum CEA, CA 19-9 and CA 72-4 were 6.7 ng/mL, 108 IU/mL and 8.9 IU/mL, respectively. The best cutoff for discriminating benign and malignant ascites for ascitic CA 125, CEA, CA 19-9 and CA 72-4 were 623 IU/mL, 8.7 ng/mL, 33.2 IU/mL and 7 IU/mL, respectively. CONCLUSION: The performance of single biomarker for the prediction of underlying PC is low but a combination of serum CA 19-9 and CA 72-4 best predicted the presence of peritoneal carcinomatosis.

Over-the-catheter endoscope replacement for stenting in patients with inaccessible malignant colonic obstruction with coexisting peritoneal carcinomatosis.

Although a large-caliber endoscope (LCE) is indispensable for through-the-scope placement of a self-expandable metallic stent (SEMS) in patients with malignant colonic obstruction (MCO), inaccessibility of the target obstructing lesion (TOL) by the endoscope is a significant cause of unsuccessful procedures. We herein present a novel salvage procedure when the TOL is not directly accessible by an LCE in conditions such as coexisting peritoneal carcinomatosis involving the colon. The salvage procedure, termed over-the-catheter endoscope replacement (OCER), starts with an ultraslim endoscope suitable for deep insertion beyond a tortuous colon for traversing a guidewire through the TOL. The ultraslim endoscope is then withdrawn and replaced by an LCE through the following steps. An endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography catheter is preloaded in the LCE, the catheter alone is passed over the guidewire already traversed through the TOL, and the LCE is navigated over the catheter as far as possible toward the TOL to deliver the SEMS delivery system in a standard through-the-scope manner or further in an over-the-wire manner even if LCE insertion is incomplete. Among the 165 patients with MCO who underwent stenting during our study period, OCER led to successful procedures in all nine patients whose TOLs were initially inaccessible because of colon-involving peritoneal carcinomatosis. By utilizing the functions of distinctive endoscopes in a unique and complementary way, OCER can be a practical salvage option for challenging cases of MCO that are highly prone to unsuccessful palliation by conventional SEMS placement.

Transformation of indwelling peritoneal catheter placement for malignant ascites from an inpatient to a day-case service: analysis of patient risk and financial implication.

AIM: To investigate the impact on patient outcomes, costs, and resources/infrastructure of inserting indwelling peritoneal catheters (IPC) during a day-case instead of an inpatient service. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A single-centre, retrospective analysis of patients receiving IPCs over a 4-year period was performed. Patients undergoing a day-case procedure were admitted in the morning for pre-procedural investigations, a 15.5 F PleurX IPC (BD, Wokingham, UK) was inserted, all accessible fluid drained and patients discharged the same day, barring any complications. Using electronic patient records, outcomes and complications (immediate/post-procedural) were recorded. Expenses and re-imbursement tariffs were obtained from the income department. RESULTS: Of 138 IPC procedures, 45.6% were undertaken after formal inpatient admission, 54.3% were undertaken as a day-case. The mean hospital stay was 2.51 bed-days for inpatient procedures (n=63) and 0.31 bed-days for day-case procedures (n=75; p<0.001). Day-case procedures saved 165 bed-days per year. Complication rates were 15.9% and 16% for inpatient and day-case procedures respectively (p=0.98). There was an estimated savings of £1,850.46 per day-case procedure or £138,784.50 annually. CONCLUSION: The placement of IPCs can safely be performed as a day-case procedure. There were substantial economic benefits as well as improved patient satisfaction, with no compromise in patient outcomes. Day-case IPC insertion is now standard practice at The Christie NHS Trust.