Clinical Characteristics and Treatment Outcomes of Patients Undergoing Autologous Blood Pleurodesis: A Retrospective Observational Study

Abstract Objective: This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the demographic characteristics, clinical outcomes, and success rates of patients who underwent autologous blood pleurodesis at our institution between 2020 and 2025. Methods: A total of 66 patients who received autologous blood pleurodesis between January 2020 and December 2025 were included. Data including age, sex, indication for pleurodesis, comorbidities, hospital length of stay, and time to clinical stabilization were collected. Subgroup comparisons of stabilization time were conducted using the Mann–Whitney U test. Results: The mean age of patients was 56.8 ± 18.7 years, and 75.8% were male. The most common indication was prolonged air leak (34.8%), followed by pleural effusion (30.3%) and postoperative air leak (15.2%). The mean hospital stay was 19.2 ± 12.8 days, and the mean time to clinical stabilization was 5.0 ± 4.3 days. Although patients with chylothorax had a longer stabilization time (9.3 ± 3.1 days) compared to those with pleural effusion, the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.174). Conclusion: Autologous blood pleurodesis appears to be a safe, effective, and cost-efficient option for various pleural pathologies, particularly in patients with contraindications to chemical agents or in whom conservative measures have failed.

Abstract Objective: This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the demographic characteristics, clinical outcomes, and success rates of patients who underwent autologous blood pleurodesis at our institution between 2020 and 2025. Methods: A total of 66 patients who received autologous blood pleurodesis between January 2020 and December 2025 were included. Data including age, sex, indication for pleurodesis, comorbidities, hospital length of stay, and time to clinical stabilization were collected. Subgroup comparisons of stabilization time were conducted using the Mann–Whitney U test. Results: The mean age of patients was 56.8 ± 18.7 years, and 75.8% were male. The most common indication was prolonged air leak (34.8%), followed by pleural effusion (30.3%) and postoperative air leak (15.2%). The mean hospital stay was 19.2 ± 12.8 days, and the mean time to clinical stabilization was 5.0 ± 4.3 days. Although patients with chylothorax had a longer stabilization time (9.3 ± 3.1 days) compared to those with pleural effusion, the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.174). Conclusion: Autologous blood pleurodesis appears to be a safe, effective, and cost-efficient option for various pleural pathologies, particularly in patients with contraindications to chemical agents or in whom conservative measures have failed.