The catheter is inserted, typically as a simple outpatient procedure, in the chest for draining pleural effusions (pleural catheter) or in the abdomen for malignant ascites (peritoneal catheter). The end of the catheter stays outside of the body, hidden under a bandage when not in use. The treatment of pleural effusions by interventional radiology ranges from simple drainage with thoracentesis to the placement of one or multiple indwelling chest tubes, or even a tunneled chest tube depending on the underlying etiology of the pleural effusion.