Thoracentesis (Diagnostic and Therapeutic) and Pleural Biopsy Thomsen et al. (1) have created an excellent video on performing a thoracentesis, and watching this video is recommended before one performs his…
Other Pleural Diseases PATHOGENESIS OF PLEURAL FIBROSIS Most of the diseases discussed in this chapter deal with pleural fibrosis. It is therefore appropriate to start this chapter with a brief…
Chylothorax and Pseudochylothorax At times, pleural fluid is milky or at least turbid. When the milkiness or turbidity persists after centrifugation, it is almost always due to a high lipid…
Hemothorax Hemothorax is the presence of a significant amount of blood in the pleural space. Most hemothoraces result from penetrating or nonpenetrating chest trauma. An occasional hemothorax results from iatrogenic…
Pneumothorax A pneumothorax is air in the pleural space, that is, air between the lung and the chest wall. Pneumothoraces can be divided into spontaneous pneumothoraces, which occur without antecedent…
Pleural Effusion Due to Miscellaneous Diseases ASBESTOS EXPOSURE The exposure to asbestos is definitely associated with the occurrence of benign exudative pleural effusions. Incidence Epler et al. (1) reviewed the…
Pleural Effusion Due to Drug Reactions Adverse reactions to drugs produce only a small percentage of all pleural effusions. Because the pleural disease in most cases rapidly resolves when the…
Pleural Disease Due to Collagen Vascular Diseases RHEUMATOID PLEURITIS Rheumatoid disease is occasionally complicated by an exudative pleural effusion that characteristically has a low pleural fluid glucose level. Incidence Patients…
Pleural Disease in Obstetrics and Gynecology In this chapter, the pleural effusions seen in the practice of obstetrics and gynecology are discussed. The ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) occurring before pregnancy,…
Pleural Effusion Secondary to Diseases of the Heart In this chapter, the pleural effusions that occur after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, those that occur after cardiac injury (Dressler’s…
