High‐pressure leakage of pleural fluid through the healed entry site of the indwelling pleural catheter from undrained locules

Abstract

Abstract The indwelling pleural catheter (IPC) is an established treatment for recurrent pleural effusion. Fluid leakage through the IPC insertion tract has been reported, but its occurrence is only limited to a short period after the procedure. Besides, the drainage efficacy of IPC may be limited by the presence of loculation in the pleural space, especially when intrapleural fibrinolytic is contraindicated. We report a case of fluid leakage through the healed entry site of IPC due to high pressure built from undrained pleural fluid locules, which was successfully treated with an additional drain targeting the largest undrained locule.

Keywords

• Fluid leakage
• indwelling pleural catheter
• loculated pleural effusion
• malignant pleural effusion