PleurX catheter for pleural effusions: Has anyone used it?

Hi @Gordon, how are you doing?

Thank you so much for starting this conversation. It really sounds like you’ve been through a lot over the past few months, and moving forward with a PleurX catheter must have come with a lot of consideration. Your post will no doubt help others who are facing similar decisions. To help gather more responses, I’ve also tagged a few members for better reach and updated the title to make it clearer and easier to find for anyone searching for this topic. 💙

For those who may not be familiar, a PleurX catheter is a small, flexible tube inserted into the chest to help drain excess fluid around the lungs. It can offer more independence and help reduce the need for repeated hospital visits for those living with recurrent pleural effusions.

Here are a few questions to get the discussion going:

❓ Have you or someone you know used a PleurX catheter to manage pleural effusions? What was the experience like?

❓ Were there any challenges with maintaining the catheter at home or accessing the supplies you needed?

❓ Looking back, what would you say were the biggest benefits or drawbacks of having the catheter?

@Timeless @fosterl65 @smccann @Maynerd @Rickster64 @JimHupp @Smilindeb @gommer1 @SabinaYetta52 @dee450 @Annfriday @Magdamaria2 @CarolJR @Curtofrank1 @DonaldEaton @dunecitymike @terryhatch @Rockinrobynne @juliemar @Fightingpc @Gdad453 @Jackwagon @Wakenda @lvirgilio @GodismyFather @Anna2352 @Rgallagher @becci3 @Eazbea @Cantsleep1 @Lillith60 @jramsay100 @Tamgat @Moon_goddess4all @dlefferts @Smokitcat @Paulap @propel @sis1259 @Sunflower1 @tamera013 @Will65 @Snownurse72 @Uniquonne @Joedy1950 @busybob @Birdwatcher4500 @Cthiggin2 @Rhea60 @Bigfoot @Kekekim @Geniusma @DonMLeBlanc @Mercedes6 @Warekellee @QUEENB74 @Bobbiann40 @nomuss @Icough @MareMoo @Deb1958 @Bud516 @Mamawnanny @bla1961 @dmq1952 @jenneighbs @CCORMIEA @JerryW @sis8648 @Mingster @busybob @Birdwatcher4500 @Cthiggin2 @MsAneva @Davelapens @cin999 @ruthieandbaby @Yaya1968 @Skmf55 @ScottHegwood @PattyCone @JerryPhillips @MATO0618 @Nornnnoa1050 @Sandybee @Timothy13 @KarenRancka @CynthiaManzella @marty65201942 @Skyboss @Reginajames @Deedeerol @Uniqueonne @TRRagan @JerriLynn @Elizabeth @shelley8857 @DEEPBLUEJAMEY @Pigsfly8 @hpmoore2001 @spiro1954 @katherinebhana010 @BetsyScheurer

Let’s come together and support Gordon with your insights, experiences, or even just a kind word. 💬

Looking forward to hearing from you all!

Somya from the Carenity Team 🌼

My wife was taken to the hospital with suspected.Lung cancer and had pleural effusion and they drained out a liter with thorocentesis procedure. The fluid was tested for cancer and found to be negative. But they still suspected cancer. They then did a biopsy.The following week there was another liter taken out of the plueral cavity. At this point the doctor decided to put in the plurex catheter.. I'm sure a lot of people find satisfaction from this.But this is the biggest nightmare in the world.For my wife, it hurt like a bee Sting all the time. Hurt much worse than the cancer She ended up having and had to take morphine to sleep at night because of the pain. And no fluid was ever drained out of it sgain after two tries. My wife has since passed away.But the plurex catheter was an absolute nightmare in her final days.She begged me to get it out of her all the time but the doctor's would not do it because she was in hospice at this time.I was very dissatisfied. She thought it would have been far better.Just to have fluid drained out with multiple thorocentisis procedures. And we were also barraged with sales calls wanting to reorder the canisters.

@Somya.P

So now nearly 2 weeks since the pleurodesis and biopsy of the Pleural area. No results yet for the biopsy and no relief for the SOP formerly caused by the Pleural Effusions. I am now 100% reliant on the supplemental oxygen. 4-lpm just sitting idle and 6-lpm just walking to the kitchen. I also now carry a second oxygen tank with me any time we leave the house, just in case. Just going out to a doctor appointment is a major challenge. Had the hospital follow up with my PCP this morning. We got there ok, will little trouble. His office is on the second floor of a medical building where the ground floor is a hospital emergency room. We entered the building to find a notice on the elevator that it was out of order...Stood there for a moment looking at the elevator and adjacent stairwell, and back and forth. The out of order sign did advise of another elevator within the emergency room area to use, which we opted for. Back to the car and parked close to the ER entrance. Upon entry, we found the lobby empty and quiet. I sat in the waiting area as my wife went to look for the elevator. Moments later, she came back with a CNA and wheelchair in tow! They loaded me into the wheelchair then off to the elevator and up to the second floor for my appointment. Was able to update my PCP on this latest hospitalization, prescription changes and the Pleurodesis procedure, and then asked him to send in the prescription to my DME for my own wheelchair for moments like this.

Tomorrow is the follow up with the surgeon to hopefully learn more about the healing process, the biopsy, and expectations for timing of breathing with a fuller breath. I have the incentive spirometer at home which I use several times per day, but see no improvement yet. Since released from the hospital I also have an at home care nurse to come in every week, as well as a physical therapist and occupational therapist visiting weekly. There have been no therapy sessions and do not foresee any in the near future, only evaluations until I can move around with acceptable oxygen saturation levels.

Gordon