IODOPOVIDONE AND BLEOMYCIN PLEURODESIS FOR EFFUSIONS DUE TO MALIGNANTEPITHELIAL NEOPLASMS

The search for the ideal agent to achieve pleurodesis for malignant pl eural effusions is still on. Twenty-two patients with dyspnea-producin g, recurrent pleural effusions secondary to epithelial neoplasms were subjected to instillation into the pleural cavity of either iodopovido ne (14 patients) or bleomycin (8 patients) through a large bore chest tube. The results showed that in 9 of the 14 patients receiving iodopo vidone (64.2%) and in 7 of the 8 patients in the bleomycin group (87.5 %) there was no further need for drainage of the pleural space. Local or systematic complications occurred in 8 patients; no complication wa s severe. In conclusion in this preliminary study, iodopovidone has sh own promise as an effective, readily available and inexpensive alterna tive to achieve chemical pleurodesis in cases of recurrent, incapacita ting effusions secondary to malignant epithelial neoplasms; further st udies are needed to confirm these initial results.