Tunneled Peritoneal & Pleural Catheters

Ideal Candidates for Tunneled Drainage Catheters

These catheters work best for patients who:

• Experience recurrent pleural effusions (fluid around the lungs)
• Have malignant ascites or refractory ascites that doesn’t respond well to diuretics
• Require frequent thoracentesis (lung fluid drainage) or paracentesis (abdominal fluid drainage)
• Want to reduce the number of hospital or clinic visits
• Prefer managing their condition at home with greater independence

At the Orange County Interventional Radiology Center, your care team will evaluate your specific situation, including your overall health and the underlying cause of fluid accumulation, to determine whether a tunneled drainage catheter is the right choice for you.

What to Expect During Treatment

The procedure to place a tunneled peritoneal or pleural catheter typically takes about 30 to 60 minutes to complete and is performed in our outpatient facility. You’ll receive local anesthesia at the insertion site along with conscious sedation to keep you comfortable. Most patients remain relaxed but awake throughout.

Using real-time imaging guidance, your interventional radiologist will make a small incision and create the subcutaneous tunnel before carefully positioning the catheter in the appropriate cavity. The external portion exits through a separate incision, and both sites are secured with sutures or adhesive strips. Because image guidance allows for precise placement, the risk of complications like organ injury is extremely low.

Tunneled Drainage Catheter Recovery

Most patients return home the same day after a short observation period. You might notice some tenderness or bruising around the insertion sites for a few days, which typically responds well to over-the-counter pain medication.

Before you leave, our team will teach you (and any caregivers) exactly how to perform drainage at home, including how to connect the vacuum bottles, recognize signs of infection and keep the exit site clean. We’ll also schedule follow-up appointments to check catheter function and assess whether fluid production has decreased enough to consider removal.

Studies show that patients who manage drainage at home experience fewer hospital admissions and report a better quality of life compared to those who rely on repeated in-office procedures. The independence this provides can make a meaningful difference, especially for those dealing with advanced illness.