Pleural Effusion and Ascites Treatment

Symptoms of excess abdominal fluid (ascites) include abdominal swelling and pain.  Typical symptoms of pleural effusions include pain and difficulty breathing.

Pleural effusions may be diagnosed with chest x-rays, ultrasound, or CT.  Ascites may be diagnosed by ultrasound, CT, or MRI.

Indications are as follows:

• Increasing abdominal girth
• Anorexia
• Weight gain
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Dyspnea or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Swollen wrist or ankles

Diagnosis involves blood tests, diagnostic imaging, including ultrasound, CT or MRI, and a paracentesis, drainage, used to analyze the ascites.

At the time of your treatment for either a thoracentesis or paracentesis, you will change into a gown. Your doctor will use ultrasound as a guide for your procedure. The area of fluid buildup will be cleaned, and local numbing medicine will be injected into your skin. Your doctor will insert a small catheter and fluid will be removed. After your procedure, you will have a Band-Aid placed over your incision site. If you undergo thoracentesis, then you will have a chest X-ray done and can go home afterward if there are no signs of complications.

The PleurX System drains the pleural fluid or ascites right at home. The outpatient procedure to place the catheter is normally done under local or conscious sedation.

Using image guidance, a peritoneal catheter is placed in the lining of the abdomen. A polyester cuff is utilized to promote tissue growth, in order to decrease infection and keep the catheter in place. The catheter has a safety valve that is opened by the access tip on the drainage line. This valve helps prevent the entrance of air or fluid into the body. The drainage line is attached to a unique evacuated plastic bottle that will collect the fluid.

This process normally takes approximately ten minutes.