Plueral effusion

Question 1

what is pleural effusion

Answer 1

fluid accumulates in pleural cavity

fluid moving away from vessels into space between membranes

Question 2

what is the pleural membrane

Answer 2

-2 layers of membrane surronding lungs (visceral -inner and parietal- outer)

Question 3

what is the inner layer of the plueral membrane

Answer 3

visceral

Question 4

what is the outer layer of the plueral membrane

Answer 4

parietal

Question 5

pleural effusion is the ______ of fluid between the 2 layers

Answer 5

accumulation ( space between layers is never dry) BUT ACCUMULATION IS PLEURAL EFFUSION

Question 6

what type of fluid may accumulate in pleural cavtity

Answer 6

• exudate: inflm fluid, increase in protein content
• hemothorax: blood
• chylothorax: lymph
• empyema: purulent exudate
• transudate: non-inflm fluid, decrease in protein content

Question 7

what is the cause (etiology ) of pleural effusion

Answer 7

• usually congestive heart failure

- Infection, Cancer, pulmonary infarct

Question 8

patho of pleural effusion

Answer 8

• fluid entry via parietal capillarys (infuse parietal layer of membrane)
• drainage into parietal lymphatics
• entry exceeds drainage causing pleural effusion

Question 9

Mnfts of pleural effusion are based on _____ & _____

Answer 9

based on cause & volume

Question 10

mnfts of pleural effusion

Answer 10

• dyspnea (external pressure on lungs, impedes inflation of lungs) — if there is large volume of fluid
• decreased lung expansion
• pleuritic pain (d/t inflmmatory pain or infarction causing ischemia which always causes pain)

Question 11

what could be the reasons for pleuritic pain with pleural effusion?

Answer 11

pain d/t inflmmatory pain or infarction causing ischemia which always causes pain

Question 12

Diagnosing pleural effusion

Answer 12

-history, physical exam
-chest x-ray
-then ultrasound
-then CT scan
(do not need to utilize all 3 if large enough volume can be picked up on chest x-ray)

Question 13

treating pleural effusion

Answer 13

• treat underlying cause
• thoracentesis (& fluid analysis–fluid analysis is important indicator if blood tinged indicates damage, purulent fluid indicates inflm, neoplastic cells indicate cancer)
• chest tube
• may need to use a drug – a diuretic

Question 14

why would you not need to give albumin (volume expander) with a thoracentesis

Answer 14

because this pleural lung area is not as vasuclariezed as abdomen, small space so less chance of flud rushing in with hydrostatic pressure

Question 15

what type of fluid is exudate

Answer 15

inflm fluid, increased protein content

Question 16

what type of fluid is hemothorax

Answer 16

blood

Question 17

what type of fluid is chylothorax

Answer 17

lymph

Question 18

what type of fluid empyema

Answer 18

purulent exudate

Question 19

what type of fluid is transudate

Answer 19

non-inflamed fluid, decrease in protein content