Conservative management of persistent pleural effusion using somatostatin.

Persistent pleural effusion developed in an 81-year-old man with acute pulmonary edema due to myocardial dysfunction. Daily chest tube drainage was 1,000 to 1,400 mL. Despite total parenteral nutrition and albumin supplementation, drainage did not decrease. However, continuous infusion of a somatostatin analog was effective in controlling the effusion.