Disorders of Pleura
Pleurisy:
Chest pain from stimulation of pain fibres in parietal pleura, associated with inflammation of pleural lining. Many disease processes can cause pleuritic pain
Clinical features – pain on breathing, stabbing or shooting chest pain,
Management – treatment of underlying disorder
Pleural Effusion:
Accumulation of an abnormal amount of serous fluid in the pleural space.
Common causes – pneumonia, tuberculosis, pulmonary infarction, malignancy, cardiac failure, connective tissue disease.
Clinical features – may be asymptomatic; dyspnoea (if large); pleuritic chest pain (if small);
Management – aspiration if associated with breathlessness; treatment of underlying cause
Empyema:
Pus accumulation in pleural space.
Secondary to infection in nearby structure (usually lung)
Pneumothorax:
Accumulation of air in pleural space
Aetiology – often spontaneous (especially young thin males) due to a rupture of a pleural bleb; trauma; asthma; COPD; cystic fibrosis; sarcoidosis; fibrosing alveolitis
Clinical features – usually sudden onset – pain or feeling of tightness aggravated by breathing breathlessness and if severe cyanosis
Management - drains
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