It’s time to give patients with pleural effusions a higher standard of care.
Freedom to breathe life in, with ACES®
Meet ACES®
Breathing-powered therapy
ACES (Automatic Continuous Effusion Shunt) is the first and only FDA-cleared, minimally invasive implant designed to eliminate recurrent pleural effusions—delivering simple, sustained relief.
Placed discreetly under the skin, ACES uses the body’s natural breathing motion to automatically and continuously move pleural fluid into the abdomen, where it is reabsorbed.1,2
Unlike existing treatment methods that can be invasive or complex to manage, ACES eliminates the need for extensive hospital stays or external catheters that require ongoing maintenance and drainage.1,2
With each breath, fluid moves from the lungs to the abdomen, where it’s reabsorbed.1,2
100% of ACESpatients had no at-home drainage procedures3
85% of patients would recommend ACES to other patients3
“ACES gave me back my life.”
—Edward, ACES Patient
Designed to simplify a significant clinical challenge
Whether caused by cancer, heart failure, or infection, living with recurrent pleural effusions is a challenge. Frequent, painful procedures, infection risks, prolonged hospital stays, and daily maintenance all take a toll. ACES changes that—simplifying care for physicians and making life easier for patients.1,2
1 single implant.1 1-day hospital stay.1,2*
No travel restrictions. No shower or swimming restrictions.
No bottles.
No tubes.
No drainage.
No external hardware.
Explore the latest clinical evidence supporting ACES therapy
“I was having a lot of trouble breathing— needing my right lung drained every few weeks— which really impacted my quality of life. My doctor thought I might be a candidate for ACES. After the simple procedure I was able to breathe normally. I can go to the beach with my family… I would say ACES was a Godsend!”
—Lori, ACES Patient
Watch ACES in action
“The ACES System represents a significant leap forward in pleural effusion management. This fully internal, patient-friendly device is designed to offer relief without the complications of traditional treatments…”
—Dr. Mark Block, Chief, Division of Thoracic Surgery, Memorial Healthcare System
A smarter option—that's reimbursement ready
ACES vs other treatment options
| Approach | Symptom relief / patient experience | Hospital stay | Regular home drainage & care | 30-day failure rate | Sustained relief | Pleural infection rate | Cost5,6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACES | • Less pain • No repeat drainage |
1 day or less1 | Not needed | 0%3 | YES | 0%3 | $ |
| Pleural Catheters | • Only intermittent relief7 • External chest catheter and regular drainage |
1 day | 3–4 times/week | <5%8,9 | No | Up to 14%4 | $$ |
| Pleurodesis | • Many patients ineligible or fail therapy10 • Painful week in the hospital |
5.5 days11 | Not needed if successful | 30%10 | Yes, if successful | Up to 4%12 | $$$$ |
No repeat drainage
External chest catheter and regular drainage
Painful week in the hospital
Discover why ACES may be a smarter solution for managing pleural effusions
References:
1. Data on File. Pleural Dynamics. The ACES Study for Aseptic Pleural Effusion. ClinicalTrials.gov ID NCT06210685. 2. Automatic and Continuous Effusion Shunt (ACES) Instructions for Use. P/N 01127, Rev. A. Release 2025. 3. Thiboutot J, Block MI, Akulian C, et al. A prospective study evaluating fluid shunting using the automatic continuous effusion management system in patients with symptomatic recurrent pleural effusion: The ACES Study. Chest. 2025;168(4):A7305-A7306. 4. Muruganandan S, Azzopardi M, Fitzgerald DB, et al. Aggressive versus symptom-guided drainage of malignant pleural effusion via indwelling pleural catheters (AMPLE-2): an open-label randomised trial. Lancet Respir Med. 2018;6(9):671-680. 5. Puri V, Pyrdeck TL, Crabtree TD, et al. Treatment of malignant pleural effusion: a cost-effectiveness analysis. Ann Thorac Surg. 2012 Aug;94(2):374-9; discussion 379-80. 6. Penz ED, Mishra EK, Davies HE, Manns BJ, Miller RF, Rahman NM. Comparing cost of indwelling pleural catheter vs talc pleurodesis for malignant pleural effusion. Chest. 2014 Oct;146(4):991-1000. 7. Pleural catheters with vacuum bottle only provide relief after drainage. Pleural effusion symptoms recur between drainage. 8. Davies HE, Mishra EK, Kahan BC, et al. Effect of an indwelling pleural catheter vs chest tube and talc pleurodesis for relieving dyspnea in patients with malignant pleural effusion: the TIME2 randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2012;307(22):2383-2389. 9. Thomas R, Fysh ETH, Smith NA, et al. Effect of an indwelling pleural catheter vs talc pleurodesis on hospitalization days in patients with malignant pleural effusion: the AMPLE randomized clinical trial. JAMA. 2017;318(19):1903-1912. 10. Iyer NP, Reddy CB, Wahidi MM, et al. Indwelling pleural catheter versus pleurodesis for malignant pleural effusions: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Ann Am Thorac Soc. 2019;16:124-131. 11. Taghizadeh N, Fortin M, Tremblay A. US hospitalizations for malignant pleural effusions: data from the 2012 National Inpatient Sample. Chest. 2017;151(4):845-854. 12. Bhatnagar R, Keenan EK, Morley AJ, et al. Outpatient talc administration by indwelling pleurla catheter for malignant effusion. NEJM 2018;378:1313-22.
The ACES implant is approved for sale in the USA. Caution: Federal (United States) law restricts this device to sale by or on order of a physician. Prior to use, please see the Instructions for Use for a complete listing of Indications, Contraindications, Warnings, Precautions, Potential Complications, and Insertion Instructions.