Pleural Fluid Appearance
February 15th, 2021
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
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