Tunneled catheter (PleurX) for long-term chest and abdominal drainages from 2012-2017 in a tertiary institution

The PleurX catheter was developed to facilitate long-term intermittent drainage of malignant pleural effusion or ascites. For palliation, it is important that the process of insertion is safe and that this catheter remains complicationfree so as to improve end-of-life quality. We show that this catheter can be safely inserted and discuss methods to reduce infection, which was the most common complication. Our article hopes to enlighten clinicians, patients and their caregivers of this device as a treatment option in palliative patients. Proper case selection and caregiver training are essential in ensuring a successful outcome.