Hi everyone! I have a question that I hope someone can answer. In a Stage 4 cancer, how is fluid buildup in the lungs treated? Thank you.

hello, typically they drain it by aspiration. That is, they insert a needle (with local anesthysia) and remove the fluid as far as they can. This procedure doesn't take real long -- about half hour to one hour depending on the volume. My hubby has had it done a couple of times and seemed to help almost immediately.

Hope this helps. Please don't let the pain factor stop you or your loved one. It's worth it.

Take care,
Jan

If the fluid keeps coming back they usually either do a pleurodesis or insert a small chest tube with a drain bottle that you then empty as needed. A pleurodesis is done one of two ways they do a sugery called a VATS and usually put Talc in the plerual space to cause it to scar and seal together so fluid can not build up in there or the second way is to insert a chest tube and pour doxycycline into the pleural space to cause the scarring . Sometimes when a patient is in the hospital and they do not expect the fluid to return they put a chest tube in and attach it to a pleuro-vac and it drains it, or as Jan said they use a large needle and aspirated it in a procedure called a thorocentesis.

A pleurodesis may or may not work, my mom had one after her 3rd effussion and it did work. Best of luck to you. JanMarie