Outpatient talc administration via indwelling pleural catheters for malignant effusions.

Malignant pleural effusion is a common cause of breathlessness and signifies advanced disease. Common options for definitive pleural intervention include insertion of an indwelling pleural catheter (IPC) or talc pleurodesis. Administration of graded talc through an IPC offers an increased chance of pleurodesis compared with IPC drainage alone and is not associated with a significant risk of adverse events. In patients where an ambulatory treatment pathway is preferred, the increased chance of pleurodesis with talc administration via IPC can result in a faster time to device removal and may be associated with better quality of life and symptom scores.