Thoracoscopic Talc Insufflation, Talc Slurry and Tetracycline Pleurodesis In Malignant Pleural Effusion

Abstract

A study oqo patients with malignant pleural effusion had been carried out to evaluate thoracoscopic talc poudrage as a treatment modality for recurrent malignant pleural effusion. The 30 patients were followed up for one month.

In this study, 30 cases w<..!re divided into 3 groups:

Group I : included I 0 cases with malignant pleural effusion were subjected to pleurodesis by Tetracycline ,there were 3 males and 7 females. Group Il : included I 0 cases with malignant pleural effusion were subjected to pleurodesis by Talc slurry, there were 6 males and 4 females. Group III : included I 0 cases with malignant pleural efTusion were subjected to pleurodesis by Talc Insufflation, there were 4 males and 6 females.

In group I , s1x patient ( 60% ) showed good response to intrapleural tetracycline . In group Il, eight patient ( 80%) showed good response to intrapleural talc slurry. In group Ill. nine patients ( 90%) showed good response to intrapleural talc

insufflation by thoracoscope.

It is concluded fi•OJn this study that thoracoscopic talc insufflation is an effective method for producing pleurodesis in patients with malignant pleural effusion and better than talc slurry and tetracycline.