About this trial
Patients with malignant pleural disease often experience a significant symptom burden and a short life expectancy. The cornerstone of their treatment is relieving breathlessness by draining fluid from around the lungs and attempting to prevent further fluid build up. Inpatient chest drainage and talc pleurodesis remains the most successful method of stopping the fluid build up but this often requires an average hospital stay of four days. This can be an inappropriate length of time for this patient group. Our study would investigate whether this treatment could be provided on an outpatient, ambulatory basis and facilitate a greater quality of life.
The investigators would assess deliverability of the trial protocol and collect patient feedback to see if our patients consider it an acceptable and worthwhile intervention.
Eligibility criteria
Qualifiers
Malignant pleural effusion
Life expectancy >30 days
WHO PS 1-2 (3 if due to dyspnoea)
Disqualifiers
Previous failed pleurodesis (on affected side)
Known non-expansile lung
Trial design
Treatments tested in this trial
- ambulatory chest drain and talc pleurodesis
Treatment groups
Sponsors and collaborators
David Rollins
Lead sponsor
North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust
Sponsor institution