Comparing Different Sizes of Small-bore Chest Drains in Malignant Pleural Effusion

Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) is a very common medical condition, especially among patients with disseminated cancers. Chest drain insertion aims to drain the pleural fluid collection and relieve dyspnea. Small bore chest tubes are recommended as the first line therapy for draining pleural effusions. However, there is no clinical data available to inform on the size of drains for better drainage. This is a randomized study comparing the two common bores of small bore chest drains in Hong Kong, and assess for its clinical efficacy and complication risks.