What are indwelling tunneled pleural catheters and why do I need one? Indwelling tunneled pleural catheters (IPC) are soft silicone tubes that allow people to better manage the shortness of breath from recurrent malignant pleural efusions safely at home.

Indwelling pleural catheters (IPCs) are increasingly being used for patients with recurrent malignant pleural effusions. They are simple to place and can be done on an outpatient basis under local anesthesia. IPCs uniformly relieve dyspnea and improve quality of life of patients with malignant pleural effusions.

Dec 1, 2016 · The indwelling pleural catheter is tunneled under the soft tissue and enters the thoracic cavity between the ribs. Proximally, the catheter has a one-way valve and evacuates into a negative-pressure bottle.

Jun 16, 2020 · Advances in management have led to increased use of indwelling tunneled pleural catheters (IPC) because of their effectiveness and ease of outpatient placement. However, with the increase in IPC placement there have also been increasing reports of …

A tunneled pleural catheter (e.g., PleuRx catheter) permits long-term drainage on an outpatient basis and controls the effusion and related symptoms for more than 80% of patients. Patients and families can readily be taught to access the catheter at home and to drain up to 1000 mL of fluid every other day.

A tunneled pleural catheter (TPC) or indwelling pleural catheter (IPC) is a flexible tube that is placed in your chest so that you can drain fluid from around your lungs at home.

Tunneled pleural catheters (TPCs) are a safe, effective, and well-tolerated option for palliation in patients with malignant pleural effusion (MPEs) on an outpatient basis. TPCs are incorporated into international guidelines for the management of MPEs and appear to be the most cost-effective option according to current data.

Tunneled pleural catheter placement is a minimally invasive procedure to insert a catheter in the pleural cavity to remove fluid. A back-up of fluid in the pleura —the two thin layers of smooth tissue that line the chest cavity and surround the lungs—causes difficulty breathing and pain.

Advances in management have led to increased use of indwelling tunneled pleural catheters (IPC) because of their effectiveness and ease of outpatient placement. However, with the increase in IPC placement there have also been increasing reports of complications, including infections.

You are scheduled to have a Tunneled Indwelling Pleural Catheter insertion, a procedure that your doctor performs to allow long term repeated drainage of your pleural effusion without significant associated pain or hospitalisation.