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Updated: Jul 13, 2026

Local Anesthetic Thoracoscopy for Undiagnosed Pleural Effusion
Published on: November 10, 2023
Successful medical treatment of persistent pleural drainage after the Fontan operation
Thomas Walther1, Peter Theune, Ian Sullivan
1Klinik für Herzchirurgie, Herzzentrum, Universität Leipzig, 04289 Leipzig, Germany. walt@medizin.uni-leipzig.de
Abstract:
Prolonged pleural drainage remains the most serious complication after the Fontan operation with considerable morbidity and resource implication. Standard treatment including low fat diet, protein replacement, diuretics and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor therapy is not always effective. We report a patient in whom excessive and persistent drainage was finally treated with a somatostatin analogue successfully.
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