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Mesothelioma palliative procedures
By Eden Ali | June 15, 2007
Palliative surgical procedures are operations directed at treating symptoms of mesothelioma cancers, without offensively dealing with the disease itself.
Pleurodesis and chest tube drainage are considerably the most common of palliative mesothelioma treatments procedures. Fluid accumulation, (pleural effusion), is most usually the first symptom that will instigate mesothelioma patients to visit a medical center seeking medical attention. As soon as this effusion has surfaced, it is very persistent, and it keeps returning after thoracentesis (draining of the fluid) from the mesothelioma lung.
So as to eradicate this problem, the pleural cavity has to be sealed or closed. This is performed by the use of a talc slurry or other sclerosing agent that causes a sticking together.
Thoracoscopy and pleurodesis is performed in combination with VATS using a powdery type of talc versus talc slurry. Thoracoscopy and pleurodesis, and chest tube drainage will be only have effect if there is no mesothelioma cancers enclosing the lung that causes restriction of its expansion.
Pleuroperitoneal shunt does not have a vital role in palliation for some reasons. It has to do with the putting of a catheter run below the skin right from the pleural to the peritoneal region. Hindrance of the catheter and the possibility of seeding of the cancer into the abdominal region should be considered.
Pleurectomy, being used as palliative mesothelioma treatments, can be carried out where more extensive operation is not an option. In these conditions, it is well known that all visible or identified tumor will not be eliminated. It is considerably the most effective way of controlling fliud accumulation in conditions where the expansion of the mesothelioma lung is confined by the mesothelioma cancers.
It is highly important to be reminded that palliative mesothelioma treatments are not for curing mesothelioma cancers.
Topics: Mesothelioma treatment ways |