An 82-year-old man developed a serious fluid buildup in his lungs after stomach cancer surgery, combined with severe malnutrition that wouldn’t go away despite standard treatments. Doctors tried a new approach: they filtered his body fluid and put it back into his system, while also giving him a specially designed high-protein diet with plenty of calories. Within two months, his fluid problem disappeared, he regained strength, and was able to walk and care for himself again. This case shows that combining aggressive nutrition support with specialized fluid treatment might help patients whose bodies aren’t responding to typical medical care.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether combining better nutrition with a special fluid filtration treatment could help an elderly patient whose lung fluid buildup wouldn’t go away after stomach cancer surgery
  • Who participated: One 82-year-old man who had stomach cancer surgery 6 months earlier, became bedridden after a fall, and was severely malnourished with fluid in both lungs
  • Key finding: The patient’s persistent lung fluid completely resolved after receiving concentrated pleural fluid reinfusion therapy combined with a high-protein, calorie-rich diet designed for his needs
  • What it means for you: This case suggests that for some patients with stubborn fluid buildup who aren’t improving with standard treatments, combining nutrition support with specialized fluid therapy might be worth considering—though this is based on one patient’s experience and needs further research

The Research Details

This is a case report, which means doctors documented the detailed medical story of one patient to share what happened and what treatment worked. The patient was an 82-year-old man who had part of his stomach removed due to cancer. Six months after surgery, he fell and broke his leg, which left him bedridden and unable to eat normally. He developed fluid buildup in both lungs that wouldn’t go away despite receiving standard treatments like albumin injections and repeated fluid drainage.

The doctors tried a different approach: they collected the fluid from his lungs, filtered and concentrated it, then put it back into his body. At the same time, they created a special eating plan with extra protein and calories (about 1,800 calories per day) designed specifically for an older person who had stomach surgery. They also helped him with physical therapy and rehabilitation.

The doctors tracked his progress over 64 days of hospitalization, measuring his weight, strength, ability to move around, and whether the lung fluid returned.

Case reports are important because they can show doctors something new that might work when standard treatments fail. This case is valuable because it combines two treatments—nutrition support and fluid therapy—in a way that hadn’t been documented before for this specific problem. It gives doctors an idea to explore further with more patients.

This is a single case report, which is the lowest level of scientific evidence. It shows what happened to one person, but we can’t know if this treatment would work for other patients or how often it succeeds. The patient’s improvement could be due to the new treatment, the nutrition support alone, time, or a combination of factors. More research with multiple patients is needed to confirm these results.

What the Results Show

The patient’s lung fluid completely disappeared after receiving the concentrated pleural fluid reinfusion therapy combined with aggressive nutritional support. Before treatment, he weighed only 52.8 kg (about 116 pounds) with a BMI of 18.1, indicating severe malnutrition. He couldn’t stand up without help and had very low protein levels in his blood.

After 64 days of treatment, his condition improved dramatically. He regained strength and was able to walk independently without assistance. His ability to perform daily activities like eating, dressing, and moving around improved significantly. The lung fluid that had persisted for three months despite standard treatments never returned during his hospital stay.

He was able to eat almost all of the 1,800-calorie, protein-rich diet that was planned for him each day, which was crucial to his recovery. This suggests that his body was able to absorb and use the nutrition once it was properly provided in a form he could tolerate after his stomach surgery.

The patient’s overall health improved in multiple ways beyond just the lung fluid resolution. His blood protein levels (albumin) improved, his ability to move and exercise increased, and his mental state appeared to improve as he became more active and independent. These improvements in overall health likely contributed to his ability to recover and be discharged to home care.

Standard treatments for this type of lung fluid buildup usually include albumin injections and repeated drainage of the fluid. This patient had received these treatments for three months without improvement. The addition of concentrated fluid reinfusion therapy combined with intensive nutrition support appears to have succeeded where standard approaches had failed. However, because this is only one case, we don’t know how common this success is or which patients would benefit most.

This is a single case report with one patient, so we cannot determine how often this treatment works or whether it would help other patients. We don’t know if the improvement was due to the new fluid therapy, the nutrition support, both together, or other factors like time and rehabilitation. The patient’s age, overall health, and specific medical situation were unique, so results might differ in other patients. There was no comparison group or control to show what would have happened without this treatment. More research with multiple patients is needed to understand if this approach is truly effective.

The Bottom Line

This case suggests that patients with persistent lung fluid buildup who aren’t responding to standard treatments might benefit from discussing concentrated pleural fluid reinfusion therapy combined with intensive nutrition support with their doctors. However, this is based on one patient’s experience. Confidence level: Low to Moderate. This approach should only be considered under close medical supervision and when standard treatments have failed.

This case is most relevant to: elderly patients recovering from stomach surgery who develop persistent lung fluid and malnutrition; doctors treating patients with fluid buildup that doesn’t respond to standard care; patients and families looking for alternative approaches when conventional treatments aren’t working. This case may not apply to younger patients, those with different types of cancer, or those with different underlying health conditions.

In this case, significant improvement was seen within 64 days of hospitalization with the combined treatment. However, the patient had been ill for several months before starting this treatment. Realistic expectations would be gradual improvement over weeks to months, with close monitoring needed throughout.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track daily protein intake (grams), total calories consumed, and body weight weekly. Also monitor ability to perform daily activities on a scale of 1-10 (walking distance, standing time, self-care tasks).
  • If recovering from stomach surgery: work with a nutritionist to plan high-protein meals in smaller portions that your stomach can handle; set a daily calorie goal appropriate for your age and activity level; gradually increase physical activity as strength improves; log meals and energy levels to identify what foods work best for your body.
  • Weekly weigh-ins and monthly check-ins with your healthcare team; track protein intake and calories daily using a food diary or app; monitor energy levels and ability to perform daily tasks; watch for any return of symptoms like shortness of breath or fluid buildup, and report immediately to your doctor.

This case report describes the experience of one patient and should not be considered medical advice or a proven treatment for all patients with similar conditions. Pleural effusion and malnutrition are serious medical conditions that require professional medical evaluation and treatment. Anyone experiencing symptoms like shortness of breath, persistent fluid buildup, or difficulty eating after surgery should consult with their healthcare provider immediately. The treatment described in this case should only be considered under the direct supervision of qualified medical professionals. Results may vary significantly between individuals based on age, overall health, type of cancer, and other medical factors. Always discuss any new treatment approaches with your doctor before starting them.