PLEURAL EFFUSIONS

(recurrent fluid around the lungs)

   Fluid around the lungs can make it difficult for a person to breath and function in normal life activities.  This fluid can be from any type of cancer, especially, lung cancer, mesothelioma, and breast cancer.  Fluid can also build up around the lungs from heart failure, kidney failure, or liver failure.  When this fluid does not go away on its own or with medical therapy, a simple surgical option is the Pleurx catheter.  This catheter was created by Denver Biomedical for the compassionate home management of pleural effusions.  It is inserted by a thoracic surgeon (a surgeon who does chest or lung surgery).  It is most often inserted with a local anesthetic with no need to go to the operating room, and no need for a general anesthetic.  Essentially no pain or discomfort is experienced by the patient during insertion of the catheter.  By utilizing the Pleurx catheter, the need for a major surgery is eliminated in the vast majority of patients.  This reduces hospital length of stay, reduces cost, minimizes  pain, provides effective palliation with significant improvement in ability to breath, and improves overall patient care and quality of life. www.denverbio.com