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
We have not yet got to this page. We will eventually. Please contact us if you have something to contribute to it or sign up for our newsletter or like us on Facebook and Instagram or follow us on Twitter. |
Page last updated:
Comments are closed.