Video-assisted biopsy and talc pleurodesis for malignant pleural mesothelioma

Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a disease of the pleural cavity that is strongly associated with asbestos exposure. In most cases it carries a poor prognosis. Patients often present with respiratory symptoms, caused by pleural effusion. Treatment, preferably in a multimodal setting, cannot provide cure, but can prolong survival and improve quality of life in selected cases.  Prior to eventual cytoreductive surgery, surgical intervention can provide histopathological proof of disease, and symptoms can be controlled with talc pleurodesis.  We present the case of a 67-year-old patient with malignant pleural mesothelioma who underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic biopsy and talc pleurodesis, and demonstrate our technique with a video tutorial showing how we performed the procedure.

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