Abstract

CASTELLANOS GONZALEZ, Juan Antonio et al. Palliative treatment of malignant pleural effusions with chemical abrasion. Rev Cubana Cir [online]. 2014, vol.53, n.2, pp.167-175. ISSN 0034-7493.

Introduction: the treatment of the malignant pleural effusion poses a challenge for the surgeons, its permanent eradication has been a long struggle based on the use of a number of substances. Objective: To show the results of the use of different chemical substances to fuse the pleuras in malignant pleural effusion. Methods: one hundred and sixteen patients with malignant pleural effusions, who were treated with thoracentesis and chemical sclerotherapy at "Comandante Manuel Fajardo" university hospital from January 2001 through January 2013, participated in the study. Their diagnosis was based on clinical examination and imaging, with additional pleural fluid study. After the sample-taking, a collecting catheter and an instilled sclerosing solution were used to remove the whole pleural content, whereas bleomycin, tetracycline, amoxicillin and povidone iodine acted as irritating agents. Results: the most frequent cause of pleural effusion was breast cancer, followed by lung and ovary cancers. The lung cancer was commonest in men and breast cancer in females. Females and the age of 60 years prevailed. In this group, 52.4% required two therapeutic sessions and 15.6 % showed no relapse after the first session. Conclusions: the results were similar with all the used substances. The palliative intervention succeeded in improving the quality of life, releasing symptoms and reducing hospitalization.

Keywords : pleural effusions; thoracentesis; pleural abrasion; sclerosing substances.

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