What is the talc pleurodesis procedure? Exposure to asbestos can cause many painful and debilitating health problems, including problems with the lining of the lungs and pleura. These problems can lead to shortness of breath, chest pain, and a persistent cough. One treatment that can be recommended to a patient who has severe or recurrent problems with the pleural space is pleural talc. What is pleurisy? Rupture, pleura - means the lining of the lung, and - ejection - means adhesion. Pleural effusion is a medical procedure performed to prevent pleural effusion or pneumothorax. A pleural effusion is the accumulation of fluid in the space between the lung and the chest cavity or pleura. A pleural effusion is a condition that can compress the lungs and make breathing difficult. Pneumothorax is the medical term for a collapsed lung. It occurs when too much air enters the space between the lung and the chest wall. 
If you are at risk of developing a pleural effusion or pneumothorax, your doctor may recommend the use of pleurisy powder. This procedure removes the pleural space by attaching the lung to the chest wall. Elimination of this space can effectively prevent related health problems. What does talc mean pleurisy? Pleural adhesion can be performed in two different ways: scraping or a chemical irritant. The surgeon will use a mechanical procedure, such as abrasion or partial pleurectomy, to close the space, or use a chemical irritant to adhere to the chest wall, sealing the space between them. Both work by causing irritation. The doctor will slowly add the talcum powder and saline mixture to the drain. The doctor closes the faucet in the drain and turns it off for an hour to allow the talcum powder to do its work. During this time, you can order additional pain relievers, if needed. Your doctor will make sure the drain is working properly and not leaking. During the procedure, you will be monitored by the nursing staff for any complications. The doctor will open the drain stopcock and allow the fluid to drain. You will stay in the hospital all night. The next day, if the drain shows minimal fluid leakage, it will be removed. Otherwise, you may need to stay an extra day. Unless there is a medical reason for you to stay in the hospital, you will be discharged once the drain is removed. Most patients are discharged from the hospital within 24 to 48 hours. Next, you'll make a follow-up appointment with your doctor to see how effective pleural talc is. 
Why do they put talc in the lungs? Is talcum powder safe for pleurisy? The talc used in talc is the medical special that has been sterilized. Talk to your doctor to see if you have any underlying issues in your medical history that could make the use of talcum powder unnecessarily dangerous. These can include allergies, pregnancy or breastfeeding, drug interactions, lung disease, and breathing problems. How effective is talc pleurisy? Talc is successful in about 70% to 80% of cases. When this procedure is successful, it can prevent the patient from having to undergo further chest and lung surgery to drain the accumulated fluid. Complications, side effects, and recovery. The main danger associated with talc is pain caused by irritation and inflammation. 
Since this is a known risk, patients are always given morphine-containing pain relievers and a local anesthetic before the procedure, in addition to prescription pain relievers after the procedure. Other side effects may include fever and flu-like symptoms a day or two after the procedure. Patients can often develop hypotension or a severe reaction in which the lungs become inflamed, making it difficult to breathe. However, this occurs in less than 1 in 1,000 cases. Discuss the possible risks and benefits of talc pleurisy in more detail with your doctor. During the recovery period, you will need to keep the wound clean with gentle washing every day and change the dressings at least once a day. Do not submerge the wound in a bathtub or swimming pool until the wound is completely healed. You should also avoid rubbing the wound or applying any lotion or ointment on the wound. Do not lift anything heavier than 10 pounds without your doctor's approval. Some drainage from the wound is normal. However, if you have a lot of discharge or signs of infection, contact your doctor. The time it takes to fully recover from your procedure depends on your specific case. Ask your doctor when you can resume your normal activities. 
Talc pleurodesis
Pleurodesis using talc is a procedure that involves the application of a mild irritant medicine in the space between the lung and chest wall (pleural space), on one side of your chest. This is done to try. Tape your lungs to your chest wall and prevent more accumulation of fluid or air in this space. Medicine will be placed in the chest through a chest tube that you may already have. Pleurisy is an inpatient procedure. Medicines placed in the pleural space will cause irritation to the outer lining of your lungs and chest wall. This causes these surfaces to become sticky and bond together - leak-proof space between them and prevent liquids or air from entering pick up there. I suggested this treatment to him because he underwent an accumulation of fluid or air in the pleural cavity. Doctors think this will likely happen again in the future if nothing is done to seal off the area where fluid or air has collected. Hopefully, this will prevent this pleural adhesion from happening again. 
How is talc pleural adhesion? If you choose to undergo talc affixation, your doctor will first drain any fluid currently in the pleural space. You will need a chest X-ray to make sure your lungs are fully expanded. On the day of your procedure, once you sign the consent form, expect the following steps: You will be given an oral morphine solution and a local anesthetic will be inserted into a drain in your chest to help control the pain. An anesthetic in the drain will numb the lining of the lung. Talc rides into the pleural cavity to intentionally cause inflammation and fibrosis, thus closing the space between the lungs and the chest wall. During this procedure, the surgeon usually sprays a mixture of talcum powder and saline through a tube into the chest area surrounding the lungs. It can also be used in powder form. During talc adhesion, the goal of delivering talc to the lungs is to induce an inflammatory reaction in the pleura (the tissue that lines the lungs). If the operation is successful, the irritation will be enough to close the pleural space and prevent it from filling with fluid in the future. Talc is used because it is the most sclerosing substance (injectable irritant) available for patients with malignant pleural effusion. 
What are the alternatives to talc pleurodesis? A possible alternative to pleural fusion is an indwelling pleural catheter. The catheter places a small tube (much smaller than a chest tube) into the chest cavity to constantly drain excess fluid from the pleural cavity. You may also choose to keep your pleural space open and schedule frequent fluid removal procedures as needed. Learn more about pleural talc by asking your doctor.