Pleuroperitoneal shunt for intractable pleural effusion.

Intractable pleural effusion secondary to malignant disease is often managed by thoracentesis or sclerotherapy, painful time-consuming procedures that may be ineffective. An alternative technique is to place a pleuroperitoneal shunt as in a 73-year-old man, described in this paper, who had recurrent right and left pleural effusions secondary to inoperable squamous cell carcinoma of the right lung. In his case, sclerotherapy was not attempted on the left side because a pericardial window was functioning. The left pleural effusion was successfully managed by inserting a pleuroperitoneal (LeVeen) shunt.