Pleurodesis

Pleurodesis is a treatment for a build-up of fluid in the pleural cavity, which is located between the two pleura sheets (see below diagram). This build-up is called a pleural effusion and can make it more difficult to breathe.

Pleurodesis involves putting medication (usually a sterile medical talc) into your chest through the chest tube to make the linings of your lung stick together. This prevents fluid building up again. Or sometimes a PleurX tube (catheter) may be put under your skin into the pleural effusion. This can be left there for the long term. At home, a vacuum bottle or bag attached to the tube can be used to drain the fluid as needed. This enables you to be in control of managing the fluid and so managing the breathlessness.

There are different ways to have this treatment. You may have it during:

• A thoracoscopy: A test to examine your lungs using a long tube with a camera, which is inserted into your lungs under general anaesthetic.
• A chest drain: A chest drain is inserted under local anesthetic to drain away any fluid that has built up. When the fluid has stopped draining, the medication will be inserted through the chest drain. The chest drain is usually left in place for 24-48 hours.