What is the procedure of mixing talc in pleurodesis?
Pleurodesis is a procedure that involves sealing or obliteration of the pleural cavity present between the lung and chest wall by first draining the cavity and then placing the irritant in the cavity in order to obliterate it. Talc is the hydrated magnesium silicate that is used as a sclerosing agent in pleurodesis. Procedure for mixing talc: 1. Take 30-40 ml of normal saline and add it to 3-4 gms of talc using the syringe. 2. Maximum dose of talc that can be used is 10 gms. 3. Shake the sclerosing agent well with the main aim of dissolving the agent because dissolving the talc can be hard. 4. Shake the talc well to form talc slurry but do not stop at this point as the talc can precipitate. 5. Introduce the slurry into the cavity using the chest tube and flush it with normal saline. 6. Clamp for 1 hour.