Peritoneal and Pleural Ports for Management of Refractory Ascites and Pleural Effusions: Assessment of Impact on Patient Quality of Life and Hospice/Home Nursing Care

Purpose: Patients with end-stage malignancies often have refractory ascites or pleural effusions requiring repeated paracenteses or thoracenteses. Subcutaneous peritoneal and pleural port catheters are an alternative therapeutic option. We evaluate the clinical utility of this approach and the impact on quality of life (QOL) and home/hospice care. Materials and methods: Thirty ports were placed, 16 peritoneal and 14 pleural, in patients with a...