Indwelling Pleural Catheter (IPC) Placement

Indwelling pleural catheters (IPCs) are tunneled, flexible silicone catheters inserted into the pleural space for long-term drainage of pleural effusions, especially malignant or recurrent effusions.

Indications

• Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) causing dyspnea

• Recurrent non-malignant effusions (e.g., hepatic hydrothorax, chylothorax)

• Trapped lung or non-expandable lung

• Palliative management when pleurodesis is contraindicated or has failed

Complications

Complication	Notes
Pneumothorax	From lung puncture during insertion
Infection (site/catheter-related)	Rare with proper technique
Blocked catheter	May need flushing or replacement
Pain	During tunneling or drainage
Tumor seeding	Rare, mostly in malignancies

Benefits of IPC

• Minimally invasive, outpatient procedure

• Immediate symptom relief

• Avoids repeated thoracenteses

• Allows self-managed drainage at home

• Palliative benefit for end-stage disease