Pleural effusion is the abnormal accumulation of fluid in the pleura, the membrane surrounding the lungs. Pleural effusion is a common manifestation of several different diseases, so once the stroke has been diagnosed, investigating its cause is the next step.
O symptoms of pleural effusion are:
- Shortness of breath: it will be so much more intense, the sooner the pleural effusion forms, and the greater the accumulation of fluid in the pleura. There are pleural effusions that can have up to 4 liters of volume, enough to completely compress the affected lung;
- Chest pain: stabbing pain that worsens when the person breathes deeply;
- Dry cough.
Pain and shortness of breath are the two typical symptoms of pleural effusion. The other symptoms, which usually also appear, usually arise due to the underlying disease, such as fever and coughing in pneumonia; coughing up blood in lung cancer; ascites in cirrhosis; swollen legs in heart failure, and so on.
Pleural effusion may consist of two types of fluid: transudate and exudate. His determination is important to discover the disease that led to pleural effusion. This is possible after analysis of pleural fluid through thoracentesis withdrawal. The causes of pleural effusion of the type transudate are:
- Cardiac insufficiency;
- Hepatical cirrhosis;
- Nephrotic syndrome;
- Renal insufficiency;
- Uncompensated hypothyroidism.
The causes of pleural effusion of the type exudate are:
- Pneumonia;
- Tuberculosis;
- Metastatic cancer for the pleura;
- Cancer of the pleura (mesothelioma);
- Lymphoma;
- Pulmonary embolism;
- Autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis;
- Pancreatitis;
- Radiotherapy;
- Abdominal diseases such as peritonitis and abscesses;
- Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, with use of clomiphene citrate.
There are also other types of fluid that can accumulate in the pleura, such as:
- Blood: hemothorax;
- Urine: urinothorax;
- Triglycerides and lipids: chylothorax.
O diagnosis is suspected on clinical examination and confirmed with chest radiography. It is prudent to collect the pleural fluid if there is suspicion of the disease that caused the pleural effusion, for the appropriate treatment.
If you experience the above symptoms you should seek prompt care for the best evaluation.
