Pleural Effusion

Question 1

Adenosine Deaminase is high in the pleural fluid, what does that means?

Answer 1

TB

Question 2

Pleural effusion has malignant cells in it, what does that mean?

Answer 2

Metastatic Cancer

Question 3

The pleural effusion fluid is loculated, what do you do?

Answer 3

Thoracostomy (chest tube)

Question 4

The pleural effusion is an empyema, what do you do?

Answer 4

Thoracotomy (surgery)

Question 5

There are a lot of red blood cells in the pleural effusion, what does that mean?

Answer 5

Hemothorax

Question 6

You find an effusion on CXR, no heart failure, what do you do?

Answer 6

Lateral Decubitus or Ultrasound

Question 7

You find an effusion on CXR, they have heart failure, what do you do?

Answer 7

Diuresis

Question 8

What is a loculated pleural effusion?

Answer 8

fluid that prevents the lung expansion completely, the loculation is the scar tissue that prevents expansion

Question 9

These groups of diseases are what flavor of pleural effusion:

Congestive Heart Failure
Cirrhosis
Nephrotic Syndrome
Hypoalbuminemia
Pulmonary Embolism

Answer 9

Transudates

Question 10

These groups of diseases are what flavor of pleural effusion:

Bacterial Pneumonia
Metastatic disease
Lymphoma
Pulmonary Embolism
Tuberculosis
Collagen Vascular Diseases (RA, SLE)
Mesothelioma
Viral Infection

Answer 10

Exudates

Question 11

What is the difference between transudate and exudate?

Answer 11

Transudate is the rate of formation of pleura fluid exceeds lymphatic clearance, low fluid protein content, pleural membrane remain intact

Exudate is the loss of integrity of the pleural membrane and disruption of lymphatic drainage, high fluid protein content