Indwelling pleural catheter for outpatient management of tuberculous empyema

Ambreen Iqbal Muhammad1, Joseph Gavin2, Alex Wilkinson2

  • 1Respiratory Department, East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, UK ambreen.muhammad@nhs.net.

BMJ Case Reports
|March 11, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Indwelling pleural catheters (IPCs) effectively manage tuberculous empyema, enabling outpatient treatment. This approach reduces costs and hospital-acquired complications, improving patient quality of life.

Area of Science:

  • Pulmonology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Medical Devices

Background:

  • Indwelling pleural catheters (IPCs) are standard for malignant pleural effusions, facilitating outpatient symptom management.
  • Limited data exists on IPC efficacy for treating complex pleural infections like empyema.

Observation:

  • A case study details the therapeutic management of tuberculous empyema using an IPC.
  • The patient received treatment on an outpatient basis, avoiding hospitalization.

Findings:

  • The IPC facilitated successful outpatient management of tuberculous empyema.
  • The patient was able to return to work, demonstrating improved functional status.
  • Treatment costs were reduced, and the risk of hospital-acquired infections was minimized.

Implications:

  • IPCs represent a viable and cost-effective option for managing tuberculous empyema.
  • Outpatient management with IPCs can improve patient quality of life and reduce healthcare burdens.
  • Further research into IPCs for diverse pleural infections is warranted.

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