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Pleural Effusion

Pleural Effusion. GenMed 3. Development of Pleural Effusion. pulmonary capillary pressure (CHF) capillary permeability (Pneumonia) intrapleural pressure (atelectasis) plasma oncotic pressure (hypoalbuminemia) pleural membrane permeability (malignancy)

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Pleural Effusion

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  1. Pleural Effusion GenMed 3

  2. Development of Pleural Effusion pulmonary capillary pressure (CHF) capillary permeability (Pneumonia) intrapleural pressure (atelectasis) plasma oncotic pressure (hypoalbuminemia) pleural membrane permeability (malignancy) lymphatic obstruction (malignancy) diaphragmatic defect (hepatic hydrothorax) thoracic duct rupture (chylothorax)

  3. Other causes of pleural effusion: nephrotic syndrome, TB, collagen vascular disease, urinothorax, SVC syndrome, Meigs syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, pancreatitis, yellow-nail syndrome, drugs

  4. History: dyspnea pleuritic chest pain cough fever hemoptysis wt. loss trauma hx cancer cardiac surgery Physical: Dullness to percussion Decreased breath sounds Absent tactile fremitus Other findings: ascites, jvd, peripheral edema, friction rub, unilateral leg swelling Evaluation

  5. Chest X-Ray Lateral decubitus PA

  6. Indications for thoracentesis • Effusions larger than 1cm height or unknown origin • In heart failure: febrile/pleuritic pain, unilateral, no cardiomegaly, no response to diuresis

  7. Pleural fluid analysis Appearance Bloody Hct <1% not significant, 1-20%= CA, PE, Trauma >50% serum Hct = hemothorax Cloudy trig level >110mg/dl = chylothorax Putrid odor stain and culture = infection? Transudate vs Exudate?

  8. Light’s Criteria Pleural fluid is exudate if one or more: Pleural fluid protein:serum protein > 0.5 Pleural fluid LDH:serum LDH > 0.6 Pleural fluid LDH > 2/3 upper limit nl serum LDH Exudate Pneumonia Malignancy Pulmonary Embolism Transudate CHF Cirrhosis Nephrotic syndrome

  9. Exudative Effusion • Cell count - Neutrophil predom acute pleural process (pneumonia, PE) - Lyphocytic predom chronic process (Cancer, TB, CABG) • Culture/stain- infected fluid • Glucose- low level (<60mg/dl)(pneumonia, CA) • Cytology- malignancy (non-dx- thoracoscopy) • pH- parapneumonic <7.2 -must drain fluid malignant < 7.2 –poor prognosis

  10. Malignant Effusions • Clinical features suggestive of malignacy: Symptoms> 1mo, absence of fever, blood-tinged fluid, chest CT suggesting malignancy • Lung >breast > lymphoma/leukemia • metastatic adenocarcinoma positive cytology 70% • Lymphoma 25-50% • Mesothelioma 10% • Squamous Cell Carcinoma 20% • Sarcoma within pleura 25% • Pleural fluid: bloody, lymphocytic, decreased or nl glucose and pH, cytology

  11. Treatment • Thoracentesis – then treat underlying disease • Uncomplicated pneumonia – antibiotics • Hemithorax involved/empyema – tube thoracostomy +/- VATS • Malignant effusion- chest tube +/- pleurodesis (sclerosants) VATS

  12. Questions? Light, Richard W. Pleural Effusion. N Engl J Med, 2002;Vol. 346, No25, p1971-1977. Porcel, Jose M., Light, Richard W. Diagnostic Approach to Pleural Effusion in Adults. American Family Physician. 2006; 73, No7 p1211-1220. Medford, A., Maskell, N. Pleural Effusion. Postgrad Med J 2005; 81:702-710. Ferrer, Jaume, et.al. Minimally Invasive Techniques: predictors of pleural malignancy in patients with pleural effusion undergoing thoracoscopy. Chest 2005 ;127:3. Light, Richard W. The Undiagnosed Pleural Effusion. Clin Chest Med 2006;27:309-319.

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