Unilateral pulmonary edema after talc pleurodesis

Talc is commonly given after drainage of the pleural space to create pleural symphysis. Recognized complications of pleural drainage followed by talc pleurodesis include reexpansion pulmonary edema, pneumonia, and adult respiratory distress syndrome. This report describes a complication of talc pleurodesis that appears not to have been appreciated previously. Chest radiographs obtained before and after talc pleurodesis were evaluated in a total of 108 patients in three groups; 89 of these patients were receiving palliative therapy for malignant pleural effusion. Approximately 16% of the 108 patients developed a transient interstitial process in the lung ipsilateral to the treated pleural space. The recognized complications are inadequate to account for these radiographic findings. Other interstitial diseases such as hydrostatic pulmonary edema and lymphangitic carcinomatosis also are not adequate explanations. The observed complication is most likely the result of endothelial damage leading to a capillary leak type of pulmonary edema.