×
MedSchool: Ace Your OSCEsThe Medical Company
 
 
 
 
 
GET - On the App Store
View
Pleural Fluid
 
 

Pleural Fluid Appearance

February 15th, 2021
 
 
 
Bookmark

Overview

The appearance of pleural fluid can provide valuable insight into the cause of a patient's pleural effusion before any tests are performed.
  • Interpretation

  • Blood-stained - traumatic collection, haemothorax, malignancy, parapneumonic effusion, pulmonary embolism
  • Milky - chylothorax
  • Food particles - oesophageal rupture
  • Bilious - biliary fistula
  • Yellow / green - rheumatoid, urinothorax
  • Ammonia odour - suggestive of urinothorax
  • Putrid-smelling - suggestive of anaerobic empyema
  • Black - aspergillosis
  • 'Anchovy sauce' - ruptured amoebic abscess
Next Page
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Want more info like this?
  • Your electronic clinical medicine handbook
  • Guides to help pass your exams
  • Tools every medical student needs
  • Quick diagrams to have the answers, fast
  • Quizzes to test your knowledge
Sign Up Now
   
 
 

Snapshot: Initialising...