In cancer patients, water gets repeatedly filled-up even after previous successful evacuation. To control and prevent recurrent collection, a special technique called ‘Pleurodesis’ is employed. In this technique, a special medicine is instilled into the chest cavity, which helps in uniting both the inner walls of the chest, so that no empty space is left to accommodate water. If even after chest tube insertion, there occurs no significant improvement in lung condition, and the lung is not expanding as desired, be careful immediately get the destroyed portion of the lung removed by a thoracic surgeon, otherwise the remaining healthy lung too will get infected and destroyed.
Dr. K. K. Pandey is a Senior Consultant in Thoracic & Endothoracic Surgery at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, New Delhi, with 30+ years’ experience in lung cancer surgery, chest tumors, pleural diseases, VATS, esophageal surgery and minimally invasive thoracic procedures. He is also a dedicated health writer and educator.