Talc pleurodesis through small-bore percutaneous tubes

Pleurodesis using talc as the sclerosing agent is an effective procedure for preventing reaccumulation of malignant pleural effusions. Because of its thickness, the talc slurry is usually instilled through large bore (20-28 Fr), surgically placed thorocostomy tubes. However, these tubes often cause considerable patient discomfort. Herein we report a series of eight patients in whom the talc slurry was inserted through 10 and 12 Fr percutaneous chest tubes. Six of the eight patients (75%) had a successful pleurodesis without a reaccumulation of fluid. We conclude that this is an acceptable method for treating patients with malignant pleural effusions.