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Case Reports
. 2021 Oct 15;10(1):e36-e38.
doi: 10.1055/s-0041-1723950. eCollection 2021 Jan.

Pleurabrade: A Spiral Brush for Mechanical Pleurodesis and a Review of the Literature

John S Young  1 , Desiree A Steimer  1 , Emily Polhemus  1 , Raphael Bueno  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Pleurabrade: A Spiral Brush for Mechanical Pleurodesis and a Review of the Literature

John S Young et al. Thorac Cardiovasc Surg Rep. .

Abstract

Background While the optimal treatment for primary spontaneous pneumothorax remains unclear, mechanical pleurodesis is a well-established treatment. The Pleurabrade is a spiral brush designed for mechanical pleurodesis during thoracoscopy. We present two patients who underwent mechanical pleurodesis with the Pleurabrade. Case Description Two patients with spontaneous pneumothorax underwent operative intervention including mechanical pleurodesis with the Pleurabrade. Chest tubes were removed within 48 hours postoperatively and they were discharged home. Both patients remain recurrence free at 11 and 22 months, respectively. Conclusion While further testing is needed, these case reports and operative video highlight the Pleurabrade as an efficient device for thoracoscopic mechanical pleurodesis.

Keywords: mechanical pleurodesis; pleural abrasion; spontaneous pneumothorax.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest Dr. Bueno reports personal fees from Butterfield Technologies/Pleurabrade, during the conduct of the study; grants from NCI, grants from NIBIB, grants from DOD, grants from Roche, grants from GeneTech, grants from Siemens, grants from Merck, grants from Verastem, grants from Gristone, grants from MedGenome, grants from Epizyme, other from Navigation Sciences, personal fees from Novocure, personal fees from Intuitive, outside the submitted work.

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