Viscum Album Therapy in Malignant Pleural Effusion.
- Author:
Jeong Jung KIM
1
;
Seog Ki LEE
;
Jin soo IM
;
Hyung Ho CHOI
Author Information
1. Department of Thoracic & Cardiovascular Surgery, Chosun University College of Medicine, Gwangju, Korea. hhchoi@chosun.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Pleural effusion;
Malignant disease;
Pleurodesis
- MeSH:
Chest Tubes;
Diagnosis;
Humans;
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration;
Palliative Care;
Pleural Effusion;
Pleural Effusion, Malignant*;
Pleurodesis;
Quality of Life;
Recurrence;
Retrospective Studies;
Sex Ratio;
Talc;
Thoracostomy;
Viscum album*;
Viscum*
- From:The Korean Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery
2004;37(12):978-982
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: Malignant pleural effusion is a common clinical problem in neoplastic patients. With the diagnosis of a malignant pleural effusion, palliative therapy was done. One of the treatments was a chemical pleurodesis. Talc was the most commonly used a sclerosing agent, but the quality of patient's life was not improved. We was evaluated by other agents such as Viscum album for relief of malignant pleural effusion. MATERIAL AND METHOD: From November 2001 to October 2003, 17 patients who underwent to chemical pleurodesis for the malignant pleural effusion. We compared the talc (group I: 10 patients) and Viscum album (group II: 7 patients). We analysed them retrospectively in term of various factors and results. RESULT: There were no significant differences between group I and group II in the sex ratio, mean age, origin of primary cancer and site, but, group I had higher successful rate (80%:71%) than group II. Group II had better length of chest tube stay after procedure, Karnofsky performance and recurrence than group I. The failed treatement group was related to the pleural fluid pH and interval of initial chemical pleurodesis after thoracostomy. CONCLUSION: Although the chemical pleurodesis with Viscum album was slightly lower than talc in the successful rate, there was an alternative method instead of the chemical pleurodesis with talc to improve the patient's quality of life in malignant pleural effusion.
