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

Year 2025, Volume: 47 Issue: 3, 17 - 21, 30.09.2025

Uğur Temel

Abstract

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.

Keywords

Autolog Blood pleurodesis prolonged air leak pleural effusion pneumothorax

References

  • 1. Apilioğulları B, Dumanlı A, Ceran S. Application of autologous blood patch in patients with non-expanded lungs and persistent air leak. Turk J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2020;28(3):3407.
  • 2. Dugan KC, Laxmanan B, Murgu S, Hogarth DK. Management of persistent air leaks. Chest. 2017;152(2):417-423.
  • 3. Lai Y, Zheng X, Yuan Y, Xie TP, Zhao YF, Zhu ZJ, Hu Y. A modified pleurodesis in treating postoperative chylothorax. Ann Transl Med. 2019;7(20):549.
  • 4. Mierzejewski M, Korczynski P, Krenke R, Janssen JP. Chemical pleurodesis – A review of mechanisms involved in pleural space obliteration. Respir Res. 2019;20:247.
  • 5. Marcoux M, Slate J, Majid A. Talc pleurodesis in pleural disease. Pleura. 2019;6:7-42.
  • 6. Zhou J. A review of the application of autologous blood transfusion. Braz J Med Biol Res. 2016;49(9):e5493.
  • 7. Brunelli A, Varela G. Prediction of air leak duration after pulmonary lobectomy: a prospective, multicenter study. Ann Thorac Surg. 2007;84(5):1571-1577.
  • 8. Cerfolio RJ, Bryant AS. The management of air leaks. Thorac Surg Clin. 2008;20(3):379-385.
  • 9. Mishra EK, Davies HE, Lee YC, et al. Talc pleurodesis for malignant pleural effusion and pneumothorax. Chest. 2005;127(2):560-566.
  • 10. Janssen JP, Collier G, Astoul P, et al. Prospective randomized study of silver nitrate vs talc slurry pleurodesis for malignant pleural effusion. Chest. 2007;131(2):576-582.
  • 11. Ferrer J, Villarino MA, Tura JM, et al. Talc-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome. Eur Respir J. 2002;19(6):1222-1224.
  • 12. Lang-Lazdunski L, Coonar AS. Autologous “blood patch” pleurodesis for persistent air leak after pulmonary resection. Eur J Cardiothorac Surg. 2000;17(6):571-574.
  • 13. Lang-Lazdunski L, Coonar AS. A prospective study of autologous 'blood patch' pleurodesis for persistent air leak after pulmonary resection. Eur J Cardiothorac Surg. 2004;26(5):897-900.
  • 14. Keeratichananont W, Ungtrakul T, Udomsubpayakul U, Tangtiphaiboontana J. Autologous blood versus tetracycline pleurodesis in symptomatic malignant pleural effusion: a prospective randomized study. J Med Assoc Thai. 2015;98(6):555-561.
  • 15. Keeratichananont W, Ruangchira-urai R, Ungtrakul T. Comparison of autologous blood and talc slurry pleurodesis in malignant pleural effusion: a randomized controlled trial. Palliat Med. 2018;32(2):383-389.
  • 16. Bhatnagar M, Fisher A, Ramsaroop S, Carter A, Pippard B. Chylothorax: pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management—a comprehensive review. J Thorac Dis. 2023;17(6):1645-1662.
  • 17. Demirdaş A, Doğan A, Kılınç O, et al. Autologous blood pleurodesis in a patient with chylothorax secondary to Behçet’s disease. J Surg Case Rep. 2019;2019(3):rjz049.
  • 18. Rützel S, Esmaeili A, Fuchs J, et al. Cessation of severe chylothorax and chylous ascites in a newborn with trisomy 21 after whole blood pleurodesis: a case report. Clin Case Rep Rev. 2017;3(5):1-4.

Otolog Kan Plöredezisi Uyguladığımız Hastaların Klinik Özellikleri ve Tedavi Sonuçları: Retrospektif Gözlemsel Çalışma

Year 2025, Volume: 47 Issue: 3, 17 - 21, 30.09.2025

Uğur Temel

Abstract

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.

Keywords

autolog blood pleurodesis prolonged air leak pleural effusion chylothorax

References

  • 1. Apilioğulları B, Dumanlı A, Ceran S. Application of autologous blood patch in patients with non-expanded lungs and persistent air leak. Turk J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2020;28(3):3407.
  • 2. Dugan KC, Laxmanan B, Murgu S, Hogarth DK. Management of persistent air leaks. Chest. 2017;152(2):417-423.
  • 3. Lai Y, Zheng X, Yuan Y, Xie TP, Zhao YF, Zhu ZJ, Hu Y. A modified pleurodesis in treating postoperative chylothorax. Ann Transl Med. 2019;7(20):549.
  • 4. Mierzejewski M, Korczynski P, Krenke R, Janssen JP. Chemical pleurodesis – A review of mechanisms involved in pleural space obliteration. Respir Res. 2019;20:247.
  • 5. Marcoux M, Slate J, Majid A. Talc pleurodesis in pleural disease. Pleura. 2019;6:7-42.
  • 6. Zhou J. A review of the application of autologous blood transfusion. Braz J Med Biol Res. 2016;49(9):e5493.
  • 7. Brunelli A, Varela G. Prediction of air leak duration after pulmonary lobectomy: a prospective, multicenter study. Ann Thorac Surg. 2007;84(5):1571-1577.
  • 8. Cerfolio RJ, Bryant AS. The management of air leaks. Thorac Surg Clin. 2008;20(3):379-385.
  • 9. Mishra EK, Davies HE, Lee YC, et al. Talc pleurodesis for malignant pleural effusion and pneumothorax. Chest. 2005;127(2):560-566.
  • 10. Janssen JP, Collier G, Astoul P, et al. Prospective randomized study of silver nitrate vs talc slurry pleurodesis for malignant pleural effusion. Chest. 2007;131(2):576-582.
  • 11. Ferrer J, Villarino MA, Tura JM, et al. Talc-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome. Eur Respir J. 2002;19(6):1222-1224.
  • 12. Lang-Lazdunski L, Coonar AS. Autologous “blood patch” pleurodesis for persistent air leak after pulmonary resection. Eur J Cardiothorac Surg. 2000;17(6):571-574.
  • 13. Lang-Lazdunski L, Coonar AS. A prospective study of autologous 'blood patch' pleurodesis for persistent air leak after pulmonary resection. Eur J Cardiothorac Surg. 2004;26(5):897-900.
  • 14. Keeratichananont W, Ungtrakul T, Udomsubpayakul U, Tangtiphaiboontana J. Autologous blood versus tetracycline pleurodesis in symptomatic malignant pleural effusion: a prospective randomized study. J Med Assoc Thai. 2015;98(6):555-561.
  • 15. Keeratichananont W, Ruangchira-urai R, Ungtrakul T. Comparison of autologous blood and talc slurry pleurodesis in malignant pleural effusion: a randomized controlled trial. Palliat Med. 2018;32(2):383-389.
  • 16. Bhatnagar M, Fisher A, Ramsaroop S, Carter A, Pippard B. Chylothorax: pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management—a comprehensive review. J Thorac Dis. 2023;17(6):1645-1662.
  • 17. Demirdaş A, Doğan A, Kılınç O, et al. Autologous blood pleurodesis in a patient with chylothorax secondary to Behçet’s disease. J Surg Case Rep. 2019;2019(3):rjz049.
  • 18. Rützel S, Esmaeili A, Fuchs J, et al. Cessation of severe chylothorax and chylous ascites in a newborn with trisomy 21 after whole blood pleurodesis: a case report. Clin Case Rep Rev. 2017;3(5):1-4.
There are 18 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Health Services and Systems (Other)
Journal Section Research Article
Authors

Uğur Temel 0000-0002-8856-338X

Publication Date September 30, 2025
Submission Date June 7, 2025
Acceptance Date September 11, 2025
Published in Issue Year 2025 Volume: 47 Issue: 3

Cite

AMA Temel U. Clinical Characteristics and Treatment Outcomes of Patients Undergoing Autologous Blood Pleurodesis: A Retrospective Observational Study. CMJ. September 2025;47(3):17-21. doi:10.7197/cmj.1715686
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