Case 6- illness Flashcards
Pneumothorax
Air in pleural cavity, can result in a collapsed lung
Pleural effusion
Fluid in pleural cavity
Haemothorax
Blood in pleural cavity
Chylothorax
Lymph in pleural cavity
What causes a collapsed lung
Pneumothorax, pleural effusion, Haemothorax and Chylothorax. These all cause a collapsed lung which is unable to expand
How many cases of lung cancer are caused by smoking
90%
Lung cancer- when to refer for chest x-ray?
Findings are suggestive of cancer or they are over 40 with unexplained haemoptysis
Lung cancer- when to offer an urgent chest x-ray
In people over 40 with 2 or more of the following symptoms. The same is true if they have ever smoked and have one or more of the following unexplained symptoms: cough, fatigue, chest pain, weight loss, shortness of breath and appetite loss.
Lung cancer- what can happen to the tumours
Tumours may obstruct airways causing: persistent cough, shortness of breath and chest pain.
Tumours may also invade arteries causing bleeding: Haemoptysis (coughing up blood)
Tumours may compress mediastinal structures: Phrenic nerve compression (difficulty breathing), recurrent laryngeal nerve compression (hoarseness) and compression of the oesophagus (dysphagia).
Other side effects of lung cancer
Anaemia, bone pain, finger clubbing, fatigue, loss of appetite and weight loss
Paraneoplastic
Where seemingly false signs and symptoms are seen. The tumour may secrete hormones, antibodies and enzymes that affect sites far away from the tumour.
Symptoms of lung cancer associated Paraneoplastic syndrome
Neurologic, endocrine, dermatologic, rheumatologic, hematologic, and ophthalmological, nephrotic/glomerular symptoms.
Pancoast tumours
Tumour growths in the apical region of the lungs, typically squamous carcinoma. It presents with shoulder pain and Horner’s syndrome causing unilateral: ptosis (dropping of one eyelid), Miosis (pupil constricted in one eye) and Anhidrosis (loss of ability to sweat)
Small lung carcinomas
20% of lung cancers. An aggressive tumour with poor prognosis as it grows rapidly and metastases early. It develops centrally near the main bronchus. Neuroendocrine cells of the lung appear to have scant cytoplasm, the nuclei looks bigger by comparison. The cells appear indistinct. Associated with paraneoplastic syndrome.
Types of non-small cell lung carcinomas (80%)
1) Squamous cell carcinoma
2) Adenocarcinoma
3) Large-cell carcinoma
Squamous cell carcinoma
25% of lung cancers. Develops centrally near the main bronchus. Histological features include a change from columnar epithelium to squamous epithelial cells, deposition of keratin ‘pearls’. And it is surrounded by concentric circles of squamous epithelial cells.
Adenocarcinomas
35% of lung cancers. It develops peripherally. Histological features include mucoid glands. It is more common in woman and is the most common lung cancer in non-smokers.
Large cell carcinoma’s
10-15% of lung cancers. Epithelial tumours that lack the cytological features of small cell carcinoma and have no glandular or squamous differentiation
Symptoms of pleural effusion
Symptoms include chest pain, dyspnoea, cough, finger clubbing and symptoms of the underlying disease like weight loss. There must be a large effusion before it causes symptoms- 200ml for diagnosis (x-ray) and 500ml for it to be clinically evident.
How does pleural effusion present in examination
Inspect their hands for clubbing, you should also examine their breathing. During palpations you will see that chest expansion is reduced on the side of the effusion. During auscultation, the breath sound will be lower or absent and the vocal resonance will be lower or absent.
What can you see in an x-ray of pleural effusion
It will apear white, as it progresses the costophrenic angle disappears. As the fluid fills the lungs a meniscus will appear (curved upper surface of a liquid in a tube).
Pleural effusion- thoracentesis
Aspiration of fluid (removing) can be done to identify cause. This is done under the guidance of ultrasound and you insert the needle between the 7th and 8th rib. You then measure the protein to identify the type of effusion
Pleural effusion- Transudate
Pleural effusion caused by an increase in hydrostatic pressure due to venous outflow obstruction. This is caused by congestive heart failure. There will also be a drop in colloid osmotic (oncotic) pressure as not enough protein is made or too much is being lost. This causes the fluid to leak across but the proteins don’t. Most common causes include Heart failure, Hypoalbuminemia, Cirrhosis and Nephrotic syndrome. Less oncotic
How to identify pleural effusion caused by Transudate
Light criteria: pleural effusion to serum protein ratio should be <0.5
Pleural effusion- Exudate
Inflammation leads to increased permeability and protein and fluid leakage. Most common cause is Pneumonia and malignancy (breast and lung cancer). Large unilateral pleural effusions are probably due to malignancy. More oncotic then transudate
How to identify pleural effusion caused by Exudate
Pleural fluid protein vs. serum protein ratio >0.5
Types of Pneumothorax
- Primary spontaneous- occurs in health people (typically tall thin men).
- Secondary spontaneous- underlying condition (e.g. rupture of bulla in COPD).
- Traumatic- penetrating chest trauma (e.g. stab wound).
- Latrogneic- follows a procedure (e.g. mechanical ventilation.
How does Pneumothorax present
Unilateral pleuritic chest pain with breathlessness and possible cyanosis
Examination findings in Pneumothorax
In examination of the affected side there will be reduced chest expansion, decreased or absent breath sounds and hyper-resonance on percussion.
Chest x-ray of pneumorothorax
In a chest x-ray the collapse of lung tissue will be visible as the lung recoils and peels away from the chest wall.
Treatment of pneumorothorax
It is treated using a chest drain which when inserted into the pleural space can drain the air and fluid.
Features of tension pneumothorax
1) Tracheal deviation away from the site.
2) Tachycardia is >135bpm.
3) You get a pulsus paradoxus when there is an abnormally large decrease in stroke volume, systolic blood pressure and pulse wave amplitude during inspiration. The drop in blood pressure is more than 10mmHg.
4) Hypotension and a raised JVP.
5) It is a life threatening condition that requires instant action such as urgent decompression in the 2nd intercostal space. There is a mediastinal shift and signs of respiratory disease.
Haemothorax
Presence of frank blood in the pleural space. It can be caused by chest trauma, cancer or a pulmonary embolism.
Chylothorax
Presence of lymphatic fluid in the pleural space