BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) announced its PleurX™ catheter system received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) clearance for the use in specific non-malignant  recurrent pleural effusions etiologies, including congestive heart failure, during the 53rd Annual Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Meeting, taking place January 21-25 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas. A pleural effusion is a collection of fluid that accumulates in the pleural cavity that surrounds the lungs, leaving patients short of breath and affecting their quality of life. When this occurs, the PleurX catheter system provides patients with the option to drain pleural fluid in the comfort of their homes, which can help avoid the need for multiple hospital visits for thoracentesis procedures.