How To Treat Pleural Effusion

Risks Associated With Treatment

There are risks associated with treatment for all of the methods used to resolve pleural effusion. With any procedure that involves draining the excess fluid, there is a risk for infection. This is due to a break being made into the skin where bacteria can enter. When needles and tubes are inserted, there is the risk for bleeding if a blood vessel is damaged.

Additionally, it is not uncommon for patients to experience pain during and after these procedures. For some patients, the pain can be quite intense, especially during the insertion procedure for a tube thoracostomy. With treatments that involve placing tubes, it is possible for the tube to either fall out or not be placed properly. While rare, these treatments might also carry the risk of a collapsed lung, bleeding into the pleural space or the diaphragm, lung, or stomach being injured. With pleurodesis, risks may include pus accumulating in the pleural space and blood clots.