Pleurectomy is a type of surgery in which part of the pleura is removed. This procedure helps to prevent fluid from collecting in the affected area and is used for the treatment of mesothelioma, a pleural mesothelial cancer. Pleurectomy provides symptomatic relief but does not appear to benefit survival rates.
Malignant pleural effusions generally result from metastatic spread of disease to the pleura and are commonly seen in the course of many tumors. Less frequently, effusions are associated with primary tumors of lung, pleura, or mediastinum.
Many nonsurgical methods have been proposed to control effusion and to improve respiratory function. Nonetheless, many studies have demonstrated the benefits of pleurectomy in patients with malignant effusions secondary to various cancers.
Pleurectomy reduces the risk of symptomatic pleural effusions and recurrence of spontaneous pneumothorax