Chest
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Multicenter Study
Indwelling Tunneled Pleural Catheters for Refractory Hepatic Hydrothorax in Patients With Cirrhosis: A Multicenter Study.
The outcome of indwelling pleural catheter (IPC) use in hepatic hydrothorax (HH) is unclear. This study aimed to review the safety and feasibility of the IPC in patients with refractory HH. ⋯ We present, to our knowledge, the first multicenter study examining outcomes related to IPC use in HH. Ten percent infection risk and 2.5% mortality were identified. IPC placement may be a reasonable clinical option for patients with refractory HH, but it is associated with significant adverse events in this morbid population.