THE USE OF PLEUROPERITONEAL SHUNT DUE TO MALIGNANT PLEURAL EFFUSION: REPORT OF FIVE CASES

Pleuroperitoneal shunt (PPS) is an important treatment alternative in patients with malign pleural effusion (MPE) who are resistant to conventional palliative treatment, with recurrent effusions and expansion defects of the lung. This treatment alternative provides comfort to the well selected patients who are at terminal stage. Between 1995-1997 we used pleuroperitoneal shunt in five patients with the diagnosis of malignant pleural effusion. Two of the cases were female and three male with a mean age of 50,2 (28-68). We detected malignant mesothelioma in three and metastasis of adenocarcinoma in two cases. We inserted Denver pleuroperitoneal shunt due to trapped lung in 4 patients and malign pleural effusion in one. Four of our patients died at 3, 3.5, 7, and 20 months respectively. One of our cases has been follewed up for 9 months. Four patients did not require thoracentesis during the follow-up period, whereas one patient gave up using the pump because the pleural fluid was not absorbed due to obliteration of the peritoneal cavity. The aim of our study is to take attention on Denver pleuroperitoneal shunt which is increasingly used in patients with end-stage malignant pleural effusion to provide them a better life quality.