Anyone know about pleurodesis please???

[Emma630]

Hi has anyone had or experience of mechanical pleurodesis? How was recovery and breathing? Is there ANY way of knowing if its been successful and the lung has actually stuck? Any info really appreciated!

[Lyndy]

Hi Emma630

I turned down pleurodesis earlier this year because it is apparently painful and has less than 50% success rate. However... I then got an infection in my left pleural space and had to have treatment via my IPC very similar to pleurodesis. This irritated the membranes to the extent that they did fuse together. It was painful and I was quite ill but I was able to get the drain out and the effusion has not returned.

I am thinking I will ask for pleurodesis on the right side too. I think you have to accept that it may only work partially but my team used ultrasound to monitor what was happening in the lung so that I could be confident it would not return. Hope that helps xx

[Lizzieanne]

My lung was full because of recurrence. Had it drained twice then had pleurodeses. I was scared but had two amazing doctors at hospital i had no pain. Sore where the drain was but completely manageable. That was end of May and fingers crossed all ok. Also ovarian cancer cells were in the fluid and they didnt want them in my lung. Am on chemo at moment.

[Bluebaby1 in reply to Lizzieanne]

I had a Pleurodesis in August 2019 due to continuing build up of fluid around my right lung.

It was a bit painful and I was in hospital for almost a week while they kept checking it. It has been successful however the pleura is thickening around my right lung and my breathing capacity has reduced. Successive scans have indicated inflammation at this site which is what the pleurodesis does but does not rule out disease here either.

My CA135 has risen to 750 in the last 3 months but I do have a small spot close to my liver in the peritoneum. I start Taxol and Avastin next week.

In short although the Pleurodesis was successful I have reduced breathing capacity now.