Early discharge for patients with benign pleural effusions using a Wayne catheter (pigtail) chest drain - analysis of safety, complications, and quality of life

OBJECTIVE: to assess safety, efficacy and quality of life in patients with benign pleural effusions undergong pleural drainage with Wayne pleural catheter (DW) in an outpatient setting. METHOD: this is a prospective study, in which 47 patients were evaluated between July 2017 and October 2018. Patients with non-malignant pleural effusions underwent pleural drainage with clinical evolution compatible with outpatient care were included. Patients who underwent drainage due to other conditions and patients were excluded. RESULTS: after catheter placement, the mean length of hospital stay was 3.14 (± 3.85) days, and 21 patients (44.68%) were discharged within 24 hours. The mean time with the catheter was 12.63 (± 7.37) days. The analysis of the pleural fluid was transudate in 87.3% of cases and exudate in 12.3%. The causes of pleural effusion were heart failure (72.3%), renal failure (19.1%), liver failure (6.3%) and pneumonia (8.5%). The quality of life, analyzed according to the parameters of the questionnaire SF 36, showed low average values when compared to other studies. Analyzing each descriptor, the average was greater only in the limitation related to physical aspects. In the other descriptors, the results were similar, but smaller. CONCLUSION: the outpatient use of pleural catheters of the Wayne type (pigtail) proved to be feasible, safe and with a low associated infection rate. This is a viable option for selected patients.