Surgical management of pleural complications in lymphangioleiomyomatosis.

OBJECTIVE: Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a rare cystic lung disease occurring primarily in women. Pneumothorax and chylothorax are common pleural complications in LAM. We aim to explore various options in the surgical management of pleural disease in LAM. METHODS: A retrospective chart review of all patients at the Center for LAM and Rare Lung Diseases at Columbia University was performed, and date, type, and indication for surgical procedure were collected. All patients with any cystic lung disease seen between January 1, 2000, and March 1, 2023, were included in the database. RESULTS: The charts for 326 patients with possible LAM were reviewed, including 213 with confirmed LAM and 113 women with cystic lung disease consistent suspected to be LAM were reviewed. A total of 40.5% underwent surgical procedures at our institution or at referring hospitals. A total of 15.6% of patients underwent surgical lung biopsies. A total of 16.6% had a history of pneumothoraces, of whom 79.6% underwent chemical and/or mechanical pleurodesis, 14.8% required pleurectomy, and 7.4% were discharged with tunneled indwelling pleural catheters. We found that 5.6% of confirmed LAM patients have history of chylothorax, with thoracic duct ligation, thoracic duct embolization, pleurodesis, and pleurodesis with long-term tunneled indwelling pleural catheter placement all used as treatment strategies. CONCLUSIONS: Here we demonstrate the significant burden of pleural disease in patients with LAM. It is imperative that thoracic surgeons understand the high incidence of pneumothorax in this patient population. Tunneled indwelling pleural catheters are underutilized but provide long-term options for chylous management with long-term mechanical pleurodesis and a decrease in hospital length of stay.

The Psychosocial Impact of Indwelling Pleural Catheters: A Scoping Review.

We aimed to identify research on the psychosocial impact of Indwelling Pleural Catheters (IPC); report on the extent, range, and nature of studies; and summarize the findings. A secondary aim was to capture reports on patient support needs and/or self-management of IPC. A systematic literature search was undertaken, with evidence synthesis planned if sufficient literature was identified. We searched ten databases available through the United Kingdom National Health Service Knowledge and Library Hub: the British Nursing Index (BNI), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Cochrane, Excerpta Medica Database (Embase), Exerpta Medica Care (Emcare), E-thesis Online Service (EThOS), Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (Medline), National Grey Literature Collection, Psychological Information Database (PsycInfo), and PubMed. We included studies reporting on the psychosocial impact of indwelling pleural catheters or their effect on quality of life (QoL). The latter was limited to those studies using qualitative research methods from which we could identify psychosocial impacts. The evaluation of psychosocial factors was not the primary objective of any identified study, and we found no studies in which quality of life was assessed using qualitative methods. Two studies met the inclusion criteria but only tangentially. While indwelling pleural catheters may improve the quality of life in patients with pulmonary effusion when assessed quantitatively, there is a dearth of research examining their psychosocial impact.

Use of tunneled pleural catheters in chronic empyema: Two case reports and brief review of the literature.

The incidence of empyema is increasing worldwide, which, coupled with the aging global population, makes the non-surgical management of pleural space infections increasingly important. Despite this, there remains no consensus for management of chronic empyema in those patients who are not surgical candidates and do not get adequate source control with chest tube and intra-pleural lytic therapy, particularly for patients with non-expandable lungs. We reviewed the literature regarding non-surgical management of chronic empyema and present two cases that support the use of pleuroscopy in conjunction with tunneled pleural catheters for management of chronic empyema in non-surgical candidates.

Pleural Interventions in the Management of Hepatic Hydrothorax.

Hepatic hydrothorax can be present in 5% to 15% of patients with underlying cirrhosis and portal hypertension, often reflecting advanced liver disease. Its impact can be variable, because patients may have small pleural effusions and minimal pulmonary symptoms or massive pleural effusions and respiratory failure. Management of hepatic hydrothorax can be difficult because these patients often have a number of comorbidities and potential for complications. Minimal high-quality data are available for guidance specifically related to hepatic hydrothorax, potentially resulting in pulmonary or critical care physician struggling for best management options. We therefore provide a Case-based presentation with management options based on currently available data and opinion. We discuss the role of pleural interventions, including thoracentesis, tube thoracostomy, indwelling tunneled pleural catheter, pleurodesis, and surgical interventions. In general, we recommend that management be conducted within a multidisciplinary team including pulmonology, hepatology, and transplant surgery. Patients with refractory hepatic hydrothorax that are not transplant candidates should be managed with palliative intent; we suggest indwelling tunneled pleural catheter placement unless otherwise contraindicated. For patients with unclear or incomplete hepatology treatment plans or those unable to undergo more definitive procedures, we recommend serial thoracentesis. In patients who are transplant candidates, we often consider serial thoracentesis as a standard treatment, while also evaluating the role indwelling tunneled pleural catheter placement may play within the course of disease and transplant evaluation.

Treating Recurrent Pleural Disease: A Review of Indications and Technique for Chemical Pleurodesis for the Interventional Radiologist.

Pleural space diseases such as recurrent pleural effusion and pneumothorax inflict a significant symptomatic burden on patients. Guidelines and studies are available to guide best practices in the setting of refractory effusions, mostly in the setting of malignancy, and recurrent pneumothorax. Less data is available to guide management of refractory transudative effusions. Recurrent pleural effusions can be treated with tunneled pleural catheters or catheter-based pleurodesis. While refractory transudative effusions can benefit from tunneled pleural catheter, this is an area of ongoing research. Regarding recurrent pneumothorax, video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) pleurodesis using mechanical or laser/argon beam coagulation is the most effective means of preventing recurrence. Catheter based pleurodesis, a less invasive means of administering chemical sclerosant via percutaneous thoracostomy tube, is only used when surgery is not an option. However, both approaches induce inflammation of the pleural space, resulting in adherence of the parietal and visceral pleura to prevent fluid or air re-accumulation. This article will discuss catheter based chemical pleurodesis geared toward the interventional radiologist, including a review of disease processes and indications, technique, and strategies to mitigate complications as well as a literature review comparing percutaneous chemical pleurodesis to other therapies.

Effectiveness of tunneled pleural catheter placement in patients with malignant pleural effusions.

Pleural effusions (PE) occur frequently among patients with various types of advanced malignancies, resulting in remarkably decreased quality of life. Treatment of malignant PE includes placement of a chest tube with subsequent placement of a tunneled pleural catheter. We reviewed our experience with tunneled pleural catheter use to assess outcomes and resource utilization of this intervention. A retrospective study of consecutive patients (n = 163, including 41 outpatients) who were treated between July 2001 and April 2008 with tunneled pleural catheters was performed to evaluate operative and discharge outcomes. The average age of the patients was 59.32 years (range: 24 to 89). Lung cancer, breast cancer, and ovarian cancer were common primary diseases in this patient population. The mean hospital stay after tunneled pleural catheter placement was 3.19 days (range: 0 to 56), with 41 patients treated as outpatients. Thirteen inpatient deaths were related to the patients' primary diseases, but no deaths were due to drain placement itself. Eight patients (4.91%) required reoperation to replace a nonfunctioning drain or to add an additional drain, and six patients underwent a second procedure to place a contralateral drain. One hundred twenty-six patients (77.30%) were discharged home following the procedure and hospital stay. Fifty-five people achieved spontaneous pleurodesis. Tunneled pleural catheter placement is a safe and effective approach to the treatment of PE. The advantages of tunneled pleural catheter placement include symptomatic relief and improved quality of life. This method allows patients to spend time at home with their family and avoid prolonged hospitalization.

Association between Tunneled Pleural Catheter Use and Infection in Patients Immunosuppressed from Antineoplastic Therapy. A Multicenter Study.

Rationale: Patients with malignant or paramalignant pleural effusions (MPEs or PMPEs) may have tunneled pleural catheter (TPC) management withheld because of infection concerns from immunosuppression associated with antineoplastic therapy.Objectives: To determine the rate of infections related to TPC use and to determine the relationship to antineoplastic therapy, immune system competency, and overall survival (OS).Methods: We performed an international, multiinstitutional study of patients with MPEs or PMPEs undergoing TPC management from 2008 to 2016. Patients were stratified by whether or not they underwent antineoplastic therapy and/or whether or not they were immunocompromised. Cumulative incidence functions and multivariable competing risk regression analyses were performed to identify independent predictors of TPC-related infection. Kaplan-Meier method and multivariable Cox proportional hazards modeling were performed to examine for independent effects on OS.Results: A total of 1,408 TPCs were placed in 1,318 patients. Patients had a high frequency of overlap between antineoplastic therapy and an immunocompromised state (75-83%). No difference in the overall (6-7%), deep pleural (3-5%), or superficial (3-4%) TPC-related infection rates between subsets of patients stratified by antineoplastic therapy or immune status was observed. The median time to infection was 41 (interquartile range, 19-87) days after TPC insertion. Multivariable competing risk analyses demonstrated that longer TPC duration was associated with a higher risk of TPC-related infection (subdistribution hazard ratio, 1.03; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.00-1.06; P = 0.028). Cox proportional hazards analysis showed antineoplastic therapy was associated with better OS (hazard ratio, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.73-0.97; P = 0.015).Conclusions: The risk of TPC-related infection does not appear to be increased by antineoplastic therapy use or an immunocompromised state. The overall rates of infection are low and comparable with those of immunocompetent patients with no relevant antineoplastic therapy. These results support TPC palliation for MPE or PMPEs regardless of plans for antineoplastic therapy.

Surgical treatment in malignant pleural effusion.

Malignant pleural effusion can be described as the presence of exudate in the pleural space, accompanied by the detection of cancer cells in pleural fluid or tissue, which is the indicator of the disease in its advance stages, and survival time of these patients ranges between 3 and 12 months. Treatment options for malignant pleural effusion vary from observation in asymptomatic patients to pleurectomies or even extrapleural pneumonectomies in severe cases.

The Use of Intrapleural Thrombolytic or Fibrinolytic Therapy, or Both, via Indwelling Tunneled Pleural Catheters With or Without Concurrent Anticoagulation Use.

BACKGROUND: Indwelling tunneled pleural catheters (IPCs) are used regularly for recurrent pleural effusion management. Catheter obstruction is not uncommon, often requiring intrapleural medications instillation (ie, alteplase) to restore flow. The safety profile of intrapleural medications has been reported previously; however, most studies exclude anticoagulated patients. RESEARCH QUESTION: What is the safety profile of intrapleural alteplase, dornase alfa, or both when used in patients with IPCs, including in those who may be undergoing active anticoagulation? STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Retrospective review of patients with previously placed IPCs from January 2009 through February 2020 undergoing intrapleural alteplase therapy. Basic demographics, laboratory studies, anticoagulation medication use, and complications were collected. Descriptive statistics were used to report demographics and outcomes. Univariate Firth's logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with complications, followed by multivariate regression analyses. RESULTS: A total of 94 patients underwent IPC placement and intrapleural instillation. The median age of patients was 66.1 years (interquartile range, 57.6-74.9 years). Intrapleural medications were administered 71 times in 30 anticoagulated patients and 172 times in 64 patients who were not anticoagulated. A total of 20 complications were identified in 18 patients, with one patient experiencing more than one complication. Five bleeding complications occurred with no significant increased risk with anticoagulation use (in 2 anticoagulated patients and 3 patients who were not anticoagulated; P = .092). Multivariate Firth's logistic regression demonstrated that alteplase dose (P = .04) and anticoagulation use (P = .05) were associated with any complication, but were not associated with bleeding complications. INTERPRETATION: We report a relatively low incidence of complications and, in particular, bleeding complications in patients receiving intrapleural alteplase for nondraining IPCs. Bleeding episodes occurred in five of 94 patients (5.3%) with no apparent increased risk of bleeding complication, regardless of whether receiving anticoagulation. Additional study is warranted to identify risk factors for complications, in particular bleeding complications, in this patient population.

Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery pleurectomy: a suitable alternative for treating malignant pleural effusions.

BACKGROUND: Malignant pleural effusions (MPEs) are common manifestations of metastatic cancers and are associated with a dismal prognosis. Talc pleurodesis has been proven to be effective in the management of MPEs, however, class-action lawsuits linking talc to ovarian adenocarcinoma have rendered it unavailable at many institutions. As a result, surgeons have resorted to less effective chemical pleurodesis as an alternative to indwelling pleural drainage catheters. Given the absence of talc, we explored the effectiveness of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) partial pleurectomy (VPP) for treating MPEs. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of patients with MPEs managed after talc became unavailable at our institution. Between 2016 and 2018, we identified five patients who refused pleural drainage catheters and underwent VPP. Symptoms at presentation included fatigue, dyspnea, and pleuritic chest pain. All had unilateral MPEs (left n=3, right n=2). VPP included removal of parietal surfaces of the pleura other than the pleura overlying the subclavian vessels, the mediastinum, and the lung viscera. RESULTS: There were no significant perioperative adverse events and post-operative pain was well controlled. Chest tubes were removed between post-operative day (POD) 3 and 7. Follow-up time ranged from four to 36 weeks. All patients had symptomatic relief and radiographic evidence of improved MPEs. No patients required re-interventions. One patient expired six months after surgery while the remaining four were alive at last follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: VPP offers an effective alternative to chemical pleurodesis for managing MPEs in patients who prefer to avoid pleural drainage catheters.

Indwelling Pleural Catheters.

Recurrent, symptomatic pleural effusions are common and can contribute to significant morbidity in affected patients. Various management options are available and indwelling pleural catheter placement is becoming more commonplace and is the preferred option in certain clinical scenarios. The body of literature pertaining to indwelling pleural catheter use has grown substantially over the last decade and the purpose of this review is to summarize the best available evidence.

Management of Malignant Pleural Effusions.

Malignant pleural effusion frequently complicates both solid and hematologic malignancies and is associated with high morbidity, mortality, and health care costs. Although no pleura-specific therapy is known to impact survival, both pleurodesis and indwelling pleural catheter (IPC) placement can significantly alleviate symptoms and improve quality of life. The optimal choice of therapy in terms of efficacy and particularly cost-effectiveness depends on patient preferences and individual characteristics, including lung expansion and life expectancy. Attempting chemical pleurodesis through an IPC in the outpatient setting appears to be a particularly promising approach in the absence of a nonexpandable lung.

Management of Indwelling Tunneled Pleural Catheters: A Modified Delphi Consensus Statement.

BACKGROUND: The management of recurrent pleural effusions remains a challenging issue for clinicians. Advances in management have led to increased use of indwelling tunneled pleural catheters (IPC) because of their effectiveness and ease of outpatient placement. However, with the increase in IPC placement there have also been increasing reports of complications, including infections. Currently there is minimal guidance in IPC-related management issues after placement. RESEARCH QUESTION: Our objective was to formulate clinical consensus statements related to perioperative and long-term IPC catheter management based on a modified Delphi process from experts in pleural disease management. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Expert panel members used a modified Delphi process to reach consensus on common perioperative and long-term management options related to IPC use. Members were identified from multiple countries, specialties, and practice settings. A series of meetings and anonymous online surveys were completed. Responses were used to formulate consensus statements among panel experts, using a modified Delphi process. Consensus was defined a priori as greater than 80% agreement among panel constituents. RESULTS: A total of 25 physicians participated in this project. The following topics were addressed during the process: definition of an IPC infection, management of IPC-related infectious complications, interventions to prevent IPC infections, IPC-related obstruction/malfunction management, assessment of IPC removal, and instructions regarding IPC management by patients and caregivers. Strong consensus was obtained on 36 statements. No consensus was obtained on 29 statements. INTERPRETATION: The management of recurrent pleural disease with IPC remains complex and challenging. This statement offers statements for care in numerous areas related to IPC management based on expert consensus and identifies areas that lack consensus. Further studies related to long-term management of IPC are warranted.

Indwelling Pleural Catheter Drainage Strategy for Malignant Effusion: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis.

Rationale: The likelihood of achieving pleurodesis after indwelling pleural catheter (IPC) placement for malignant pleural effusion varies with the specific drainage strategy used: symptom-guided drainage, daily drainage, or talc instillation through the IPC (IPC + talc). The relative cost-effectiveness of one strategy over the other is unknown.Objectives: We performed a decision tree model-based analysis to ascertain the cost-effectiveness of each IPC drainage strategy from a healthcare system perspective.Methods: We developed a decision tree model using theoretical event probability data derived from three randomized clinical trials and used 2019 Medicare reimbursement data for cost estimation. The primary outcome was incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) over an analytical horizon of 6 months with a willingness-to-pay threshold of $100,000/quality-adjusted life-year (QALY). Monte Carlo probabilistic sensitivity analysis and one-way sensitivity analyses were conducted to measure the uncertainty surrounding base case estimates.Results: IPC + talc was a cost-effective alternative to symptom-guided drainage, with an ICER of $59,729/QALY. Monte Carlo probabilistic sensitivity analysis revealed that this strategy was favored in 54% of simulations. However, symptom-guided drainage was cost effective for pleurodesis rates >20% and for life expectancy <4 months. Daily drainage was not cost effective in any scenario, including for patients with nonexpandable lung, in whom it had an ICER of $2,474,612/QALY over symptom-guided drainage.Conclusions: For patients with malignant pleural effusion and an expandable lung, IPC + talc may be cost effective relative to symptom-guided drainage, although considerable uncertainty exists around this estimation. Daily IPC drainage is not a cost-effective strategy under any circumstance.

Indwelling Tunneled Pleural Catheters for Refractory Hepatic Hydrothorax in Patients With Cirrhosis: A Multicenter Study.

BACKGROUND: The outcome of indwelling pleural catheter (IPC) use in hepatic hydrothorax (HH) is unclear. This study aimed to review the safety and feasibility of the IPC in patients with refractory HH. METHODS: A retrospective multicenter study of patients with HH from January 2010 to December 2016 was performed. Inclusion criteria were refractory HH treated with an IPC and an underlying diagnosis of cirrhosis. Records were reviewed for patient demographics, operative reports, and laboratory values. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate catheter time to removal. The Cox proportional hazard model was used to evaluate for independent predictors of pleurodesis and death. RESULTS: Seventy-nine patients were identified from eight institutions. Indication for IPC placement was palliation in 58 patients (73%) and bridge to transplant in 21 patients (27%). The median in situ dwell time of all catheters was 156 days (range, 16-1,978 days). Eight patients (10%) were found to have pleural space infection, five of whom also had catheter-site cellulitis. Two patients (2.5%) died secondary to catheter-related sepsis. Catheter removal secondary to spontaneous pleurodesis was achieved in 22 patients (28%). Median time from catheter insertion to pleurodesis was 55 days (range, 10-370 days). Older age was an independent predictor of mortality on multivariate analysis (hazard ratio, 1.05; P = .01). CONCLUSIONS: We present, to our knowledge, the first multicenter study examining outcomes related to IPC use in HH. Ten percent infection risk and 2.5% mortality were identified. IPC placement may be a reasonable clinical option for patients with refractory HH, but it is associated with significant adverse events in this morbid population.

Current practice in management of exudative pleural effusions-a survey of American Association of Bronchology and Interventional Pulmonology (AABIP).

BACKGROUND: With increased availability of techniques to address pleural effusions including medical thoracoscopy (MT) and tunneled pleural catheter (TPC), we anticipate there has been an evolution in the practice pattern. We sought to evaluate the current practice patterns in the management of exudative pleural effusion in the interventional pulmonary (IP) community. METHODS: A questionnaire was developed and was disseminated to all listed American Association of Bronchology and Interventional Pulmonology (AABIP) members. Survey addressed the approach to the management of recurrent exudative pleural effusions with emphasis on the roles of Semi-rigid and rigid thoracoscopy. RESULTS: Of 388 members who opened the survey, 165 (43%) completed it. The majority were interventional pulmonologists representing academic and private practice in the United States (US), with approximately one third of respondents from other countries. Almost two thirds (61%) of them perform thoracoscopy. For those who do perform thoracoscopy, 93% would perform thoracoscopy for recurrent undiagnosed exudate. Equal numbers perform rigid and semi-rigid thoracoscopy and 31 (44%) perform both procedures, there was no statistically significant difference. There was a slight preference for Semi-rigid thoracoscopy although opinion was skewed slightly in favor of rigid thoracoscopy when asked about diagnostic yield. TPCs play a large role in management patterns, sometimes without and sometimes after thoracoscopy, 59% of the respondents chose a TPC alone for the management of known malignant effusion, while a 16% would combine it with MT (P value <0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Thoracoscopy is accepted as the diagnostic procedure of choice for undiagnosed exudative effusion. TPCs play a dominant role in management even when thoracoscopy is performed.

Tunneled Pleural Catheter: Treatment for Recurrent Pleural Effusion.

Recurrent pleural effusion is a symptom of several end-stage diseases and is associated with limited life expectancy. Patients with this condition have disabling symptoms resulting in reduced quality of life and often receive inconsistent treatment due to delayed recognition of pleural effusion, repeat procedures, and lengthy hospitalizations. Placement of a tunneled pleural catheter allows the patient to manage his or her symptoms at home, yet this treatment remains underused because of provider misconceptions and unfamiliarity with the intervention. This article provides an overview of the indications for placement of a tunneled pleural catheter, possible complications, and management strategies, and introduces evidence-based clinical decision support tools to enhance provider knowledge. In addition, the article describes the implementation and evaluation of a performance improvement initiative on the use of tunneled pleural catheters in a multifaceted health care system.

A single institution experience for the management of recurrent pleural effusions with tunneled pleural catheter and its evolution.

BACKGROUND: Indwelling tunneled pleural catheters (TPCs) are increasingly being used to treat recurrent pleural effusions. There is also an increased interest in early pleurodesis in order to prevent infectious complications. We studied the time to removal and other outcomes for all the TPCs placed at our institution. METHODS: After institutional review board approval, records of patients who had had a TPC placed between July 2009 and June 2016 were reviewed; the catheters were placed in an endoscopy suite or during pleuroscopy with or without a sclerosant. The catheters were drained daily or less frequently and were removed after three drainages of less than 50 ml. RESULTS: During the study period 193 TPCs were placed. Of these 45 (23%) were placed for benign diseases. The commonest malignancy was lung cancer 70 (36%). Drainage 2-3 times a week without a sclerosant ( n = 100) lead to pleurodesis at 57 ± 78 days, while daily drainage after TPC + pleuroscopy + talc ( n = 41) achieved the same result in 14 ± 8 days ( p < 0.001). TPC + talc + daily protocol achieved pleurodesis in 19 ± 7 days, TPC + rapid protocol achieved the same result in 28 ± 19 days ( p = 0.013). The TPCs + sclerosant had an odds ratio of 6.01 (95% confidence interval: 2.1-17.2) of having a complication versus TPC without sclerosant. CONCLUSIONS: It is clear that TPCs when placed with a sclerosant had a significantly shorter dwell time; However, they were associated with higher odds of complications. One must be aware of these possibilities when offering what is essentially a palliative therapy.

Diagnosis and management of malignant pleural effusions: state of the art in 2017.

Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) is a known complication of both thoracic and extra thoracic malignancies. The presence of MPE regardless of the primary site translates into advanced stage disease. Diagnosis and management of MPE with the goals of palliation and improving quality of life poses a challenge for chest physicians. Recently, multiple studies have made attempts to answer questions regarding optimal management in various clinical scenarios. We will review the current evidence and available options for the management of MPE.

Indwelling Pleural Catheters for Nonmalignant Effusions: Evidence-Based Answers to Clinical Concerns.

Pleural effusions occur in 1.5 million patients yearly and are a common cause of dyspnea. For nonmalignant effusions, initial treatment is directed at the underlying cause, but when effusions become refractory to medical therapy, palliative options are limited. Tunneled pleural catheters (TPCs) are commonly used for palliation of malignant effusions, but many clinicians are reluctant to recommend these devices for palliation of nonmalignant effusions, citing concerns of infection, renal failure, electrolyte disturbances and protein-loss malnutrition. Based on the published experience to date, TPCs relieve dyspnea and can result in spontaneous pleurodesis in patients with nonmalignant effusions. The infection rate compares favorably to that for malignant effusions with possible increased risk in patients with hepatic hydrothorax and posttransplant patients. Renal failure, electrolyte disturbance and protein-loss malnutrition have not been observed. TPCs are a reasonable option in select patients to palliate nonmalignant effusions refractory to maximal medical therapy.