Choose Location

We provide care in three easily-accessible locations across the Rio Grande Valley.

Weslaco

1604 East 8th St., Suite A
Weslaco, TX
Phone: (956) 447-5557

McAllen

5300 North McColl Rd., Suite 100
McAllen, TX
Phone: (956) 630-1000

Mission

1022 E. Griffin Pkwy.
Mission, TX 78572
Phone: (956) 833-6000

Pulmonary

PleurX™ Pleural Catheters

The PleurX drainage system includes a drainage catheter and drainage bottles that collect fluid. The PleurX catheter is inserted, typically as a simple outpatient procedure, in the chest for draining pleural effusions or in the abdomen for draining malignant ascites. The end of the catheter stays outside of the body, hidden under a bandage when you are not draining.

When you need to drain fluid, simply connect the end of the catheter to the drainage line on the collection bottle, following the directions for use, and the bottle will automatically draw out the fluid. This is a simple way to drain fluid without needing to go to a medical facility on a repeat basis.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you have been told you need medical and interventional pleuroscopy, you may have questions about this treatment approach. Feel free to check out these FAQs and reach out to our professionals for assistance with any remaining questions you may have. We are here to help!

A PleurX catheter is a small, flexible tube that is inserted through the chest wall and into the pleural space, the area between the lung and the chest wall. The catheter is used to remove excess fluid from the pleural space and relieve symptoms such as shortness of breath in people with conditions such as pleural effusion.

PleurX catheters are used to treat conditions such as malignant pleural effusion (a buildup of fluid in the pleural space due to cancer) and pleural effusion due to heart failure.

The PleurX catheter is inserted through the chest wall under local anesthesia and guided into the pleural space using imaging guidance such as x-ray or ultrasound.

The risks associated with PleurX catheters include infection, bleeding, and pneumothorax (a collapsed lung). Additionally, there is a risk that the catheter may become dislodged or blocked.

The duration of use of PleurX catheter will depend on the patient’s condition, symptoms and response to treatment. It could be used for long term or short term, depending on the patient’s requirement. It should be removed or replaced if it becomes blocked or infected.