EP1.01-74 Implantation of Permanent Pleural Catheter (PPC) for Malignant Pleural Effusion (PE) in Advanced Non Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)

Abstract

Pleural effusion (PE) is a frequent complication in patients (p) with advanced NSCLC that causes refractory symptoms such as pain and dyspnea. These patients frequently need repeated thoracocentesis to relieve symptoms. Implantation of PPC can avoid repeated thoracocentesis. Thirty consecutive patients of our hospital with advanced NSCLC who overwent to PPC implantation from May 2008 to September 2018 were retrospectively evaluated. Baseline characteristics, acute and late complications and outcome were retrospectively collected. Overall survival (OS) was calculated from the date of the PPC implantation to the date of death. Thirty patients were evaluated, 20 were male and 10 female. All the patients were death at the cut-off date, the 1st October 2018. Median age at PPC implantation was 66y (range: 47-91) and 80% presented ECOG PS 2. Adenocarcinoma was the most frequent histology (22p). Mean hospital stay was 7 days (range 1-28). Average catheter duration was 60 days (range 3-181). Four patients (13%) suffered an acute complication: 1 pleuro-cutaneus fistula, 1 empyema, 1 hematoma and 1 needed surgical intervention because the catheter guided was at pleural cavity. After hospital discharge, one patient presented a complication, with pleural liquid exit from pericatheter. Tweny-five patients (83%) presented clinical relief and 11p (37%) received chemotherapy after PPC implantation. Citology of pleural liquid was performed in 23p (77%) and resulted positive for malignancy in 14p. Median OS was calculated from PPC implantation to death and resulted of 14.3 weeks (IC 95%, range 1.3-59.1). PPC implantation is a safe technique that can cause symptomatic relief in selected patients with malignant pleural effusion. However, average catheter duration and median survival after PPC implantation are low. Therefore a better selection of patients is mandatory in our centre.