MY-IPC
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Malignant pleural effusions: evaluating the psYchosocial impact of Indwelling Pleural Catheters on patients (MY-IPC)
IRAS ID
313971
Contact name
Gill Arbane
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
People with incurable cancer commonly have fluid build up around the lung causing symptoms like breathlessness. We manage these symptoms by draining the fluid off, but it frequently comes back. When this happens, patients are offered a permanent implanted drain called an Indwelling Pleural Catheter (IPC), which is used to drain the fluid off at home. This treatment is common in the UK and has the benefit of helping a patient’s symptoms without repeated hospital visits.
IPC placement involves altering a person’s body permanently by implanting and leaving a drain in place. We know from patients who have had other medical procedures performed, where their bodies are altered permanently, that their psychological and social wellbeing is often affected. Although IPCs are commonly used, the psychosocial effect of living with an IPC on patients has not been looked into before.
This study aims to better understand the impact that IPCs have on patients from a psychosocial perspective. We plan to carry out individual interviews of 20 adult patients who have IPCs implanted for cancer related fluid build up at a single UK hospital over a 1-year period. When patients agree to take part, we will record information about them and their disease. At 2 and 6-8 weeks after IPC insertion, we will contact them for an interview. The interviews will each last 30minutes and we will discuss the impact that the IPC has had on their lives, focusing primarily on the psychosocial impact. After the interviews we will record information regarding the general care of their IPC.
We hope through this study to improve our understanding of the psychosocial impact of living with an IPC on patients. Through this, we hope to learn how we can better prepare, equip and care for these patients to improve their overall quality of life.
REC name
North of Scotland Research Ethics Committee 2
REC reference
22/NS/0057
Date of REC Opinion
17 May 2022
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion