Tension hydrothorax: Emergency decompression of a pleural cause of cardiac tamponade

Video-assisted thoracoscopic iodopovidone pleurodesis for malignant pleural effusions in moderate to high-risk Colombian patients

“…MPEs universally indicate an advanced oncological stage and a life expectancy of five months causing significant patient discomfort and diminished quality of life. 1 , 2 When malignant pleural effusions occur, their volume may progress until manifesting with respiratory symptoms and in rare cases present as a tension hydrothorax. 1 - 3 Both the diagnosis and treatment of malignant pleural effusions generally involve pleural drainage through thoracentesis.…”

“…Up to 90% of MPEs reoccur requiring repeated drainage, at this point permanent catheters may be placed, or pleurodesis considered if there is adequate lung expansion. 2 - 5 Contraindications for video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) chemical pleurodesis include patient refusal, non-expanding lung, suspicion of current infection, concomitant adhesions requiring decortication, and less than one month of life expectancy. 2 , 3 Successful pleurodesis is defined as no re-accumulation for up to 30 days.…”

“… 2 - 5 Contraindications for video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) chemical pleurodesis include patient refusal, non-expanding lung, suspicion of current infection, concomitant adhesions requiring decortication, and less than one month of life expectancy. 2 , 3 Successful pleurodesis is defined as no re-accumulation for up to 30 days. 4 , 5 Pleurodesis effectiveness or success can be classified as either complete, showing no effusion recurrence during follow-up chest x-ray; partial, resulting in minor asymptomatic recurrence during follow-up, or failed pleurodesis.…”

“…Failed pleurodesis can be further sub-classified as primary, meaning continued and persistent effusion despite pleurodesis with impossibility to remove chest tubes, or secondary, resulting in symptomatic recurrence during follow-up. 2 - 5 Since pleurodesis fails in up to 10%-40% of malignant pleural effusions, choosing the right patients for this procedure requires careful analysis. If pleurodesis fails or the patient has a trapped lung, intrapleural catheter placement becomes the treatment of choice.…”

“…If pleurodesis fails or the patient has a trapped lung, intrapleural catheter placement becomes the treatment of choice. 2 - 6…”