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Life expectancy of patients with malignant pleural effusion treated with video-assisted thoracoscopic talc pleurodesis

^a Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Tartu University Clinics, Puusepa 8, 51014 Tartu, Estonia
^b Institute of Mathematical Statistics, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia

*Corresponding author. Tel.: +372 53 318 055; fax: +372 7 318 299.

E-mail address: tanel.laisaar{at}kliinikum.ee (T. Laisaar).

The aim of the current study was to analyse postoperative complications and survival after video-assisted thoracoscopic (VATS) talc pleurodesis for malignant pleural effusion. All patients with morphologically proven malignant pleural effusion who underwent VATS talc pleurodesis from November 1995 to November 2002 were included in retrospective analysis. VATS was performed in general anaesthesia and 5 g of asbestos-free talc was insufflated into the pleural cavity. Postoperative pleural drainage was used until fluid output was less than 100 ml/24 h. Ninety-eight patients (28 male and 70 female) with mean age 59.6 (range 18–82) years were included. Thirteen patients had a bilateral pleural effusion. The most common primary cancer sites were lung (30 cases), breast (25) and ovarium (11). Average duration of the operation was 46 (range 10–120) min. Median duration of postoperative drainage was 3 (range 1–20) days and postoperative hospitalisation 7 (range 3–70) days. Twenty-eight patients had postoperative complications (fever in 17 cases). In seven cases pleurodesis was ineffective. Median survival was 8.4 months. Six-, 12- and 24-month survival was 58% (95% CI [0.47–0.67]), 39% [0.29–0.49] and 20% [0.12–0.29], respectively. Survival data after VATS talc pleurodesis advocate use of this invasive treatment method despite the advanced stage of cancer.

Key Words: Malignant pleural effusion; Pleurodesis; Talc; VATS