Pleural Effusion - clinical features

Question 1

May be aSx or presx with ? and ? pain

pleurisy = ? of the pleura most commonly due to ?

Answer 1

SOB
pleuritic
inflammation
infection

Question 2

Ex should also focus on features of possible causes eg signs of ?, chronic ?/? disease, ? failure, ?/SLE etc

Answer 2

malig
liver/renal
cardiac
RA

Question 3

O/E

• decreased ? ?, tracheal deviation ? if large
• ? ? to percussion
• ? breath sounds - can be ? ? above effusion due to compressed lung
• reduced ? resonance
• ? deviation in massive effusion

Answer 3

chest expansion
away
stony dull
decr
bronchial breathing
vocal
mediastinal

Question 4

An empyema is caused by bact inv of pl space, from direct ? (eg poor aseptic technique when doing a ? ?) or spreading from adjacent ?

Answer 4

inoculation
chest drain
pneumonia

Question 5

Empyema presx

• ? plus signs of pl eff
• aspirated fluid is ? and ? with a pH <7.2, low ?, high ?
• these need ? ABx and often and ? ?

Answer 5

fever
yellow
turbid
glucose
LDH
IV
chest drain