Cardiac Care
Heart failure and post-heart-surgery nursing at home, including blood pressure checks, daily weight tracking, and medication support.
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PleurX™ Catheter Drainage
An indwelling drainage catheter, such as a PleurX™ catheter, allows fluid around the lungs or in the abdomen to be relieved gently at home instead of making repeated trips to the hospital. Our nurses perform each drainage on your doctor's schedule and support your family every step of the way.
- Provided by
- Registered nurses and your Royal care team
- Ordered by
- Your physician or allowed practitioner
- Availability
- Mon to Fri, 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM, with a nurse on call after hours
- Where
- In your home, across 4 Southern California counties
Overview
About PleurX Drainage
When fluid keeps building up around the lungs (pleural effusion) or in the abdomen (ascites), it can leave you feeling winded, full, and exhausted. Having a nurse drain the catheter on a steady schedule at home brings relief right away and lets you rest in your own bed afterward.
Our registered nurses follow your doctor's exact volume limits and use a fresh sterile kit for every visit. We track how much fluid is removed, check your breathing and vital signs, put on a clean dressing, and share detailed notes with your physician.
What's included
- Scheduled pleural (chest) or peritoneal (abdominal) catheter drainage per doctor's orders
- Careful sterile technique using prescribed vacuum drainage bottles and kits
- Tracking fluid volume and appearance at every visit
- Catheter exit-site inspection and sterile dressing changes
- Checking oxygen levels, breathing comfort, and vital signs before and after drainage
- Helping coordinate replacement drainage kits with your doctor and medical supplier
- Patient, hands-on training for family members who want to help with drainage
Who it helps
- Patients with recurring fluid around the lungs and an indwelling pleural catheter
- Patients with recurring abdominal fluid (ascites) and a peritoneal drainage catheter
- People who want comfortable symptom relief at home without frequent clinic procedures
- Family caregivers who would like a nurse's support or training with drainage kits
What to expect
Your care, step by step.
Step 1: Check-in
Your nurse asks how your breathing and energy have been and checks your vital signs and oxygen.
Step 2: Gentle drainage
Using a new sterile kit, we drain the fluid slowly and stop at the exact limit your doctor ordered.
Step 3: Site care
We clean the catheter site, check the skin, and secure the catheter neatly under a fresh sterile pad.
Step 4: Doctor report
We log the fluid amount and how you tolerated the visit, then update your physician.
Staying safe
When to call us or your doctor
Our office is open Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM. A registered nurse is always on call by phone after office hours, on weekends, and on holidays.
Call us or your physician if you notice:
- Fever, or new redness, warmth, tenderness, or oozing at the catheter site
- Drainage fluid that changes color, turns cloudy, or has a strong odor
- Shortness of breath that returns quickly after drainage or suddenly worsens
- Sharp chest pain, dizziness, or persistent coughing during drainage
- A catheter cuff or valve that looks damaged or dislodged
For chest pain, trouble breathing, signs of stroke, severe bleeding or any emergency, call 911.
Does draining the catheter hurt?
Most patients feel relief rather than pain. Occasionally you might feel a mild pulling sensation or urge to cough as the last bit of fluid drains. Your nurse controls the flow rate gently and slows or pauses right away if you feel any tightness.
How often does the catheter need to be drained?
Your doctor sets the schedule based on how quickly fluid collects and how you feel. Because we keep your physician updated after each visit, the schedule can easily be adjusted as your needs change.
Can my family learn to do the drainage?
Yes. Many families like knowing how to use the kits between nursing visits. We teach you step by step at your own pace, and our nurses remain just a phone call away.
PleurX™ is a trademark of its respective owner. Our nurses also care for other brands of tunneled pleural and peritoneal drainage catheters ordered by your doctor.
Related services
Ask us about PleurX Drainage.
Call us with questions, to make a referral, or to check whether you qualify. A real person answers during office hours, and a registered nurse is on call after hours.