Pleural Diseases Flashcards
What is pleural effusion?
The accumulation of fluid in the pleural space
Name at least 4 symptoms of pleural effusion past the asymptomatic phase?
Dyspnoea Pleuratic chest pain Dry cough Weight loss Malaise Fever Night sweats
Name at least 4 signs of pleural effusion on examination?
Reduced chest expansion Stony dullness on percussion Reduced breath sounds Reduced vocal resonance Clubbing Tar staining Cervical lymphadenopathy Raised JVP Peripheral oedema
What is the cut off between transudates and exudates for pleural fluid protein?
Transudates 30g/l
Name 4 common causes for transudates?
L ventricular failure Liver cirrhosis Hypoalbuminaemia Peritonial dialysis Mitral stenosis Nephrotic syndrome Hypothroidism
Name 4 common causes for exudates?
Malignancy Parapneumonic Pulmonary embolism Rheumatoid artheritis Pancreatitis Post-MI syndrome Autoimmune diseases
What 2 imaging techniques would you use to confirm presence of pleural effusion?
CXR
CT of thorax
What investigation would you perform to confirm the fluid of an effusion?
Pleural aspiration and biopsy
When treating pleural effusion what do you target your treatment towards?
The cause of the effusion (i.e. malignancy)
What procedure do you perform to drain pleural effusion?
Pleurodhesis
What is a pneumothorax?
Presence of air within the pleural cavity
What are 3 conditions that can predispose spontaneous pneumothorax?
COPD Pneumonia TB Cystic fibrosis Asthma Sarcoidosis
What are 2 symptoms of a pneumothorax?
Acute dyspnoea
Pleuratic chest pain
What are the 2 types of spontaneous pneumothorax?
Primary
Secondary
What are the 2 types of traumatic pneumothorax?
Iatrogenic
Non-iatrogenic
