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Intrapleural fibrinolysis with urokinase decreased the need for surgery but there is a trend to increased serious side effects. [ 18 ] Approximately 15 to 40 percent of people require surgical drainage of the infected pleural space because of inadequate drainage due to clogging of the chest tube or loculated empyema. [ 19 ]
Hemoptysis may also indicate other, potentially fatal, medical conditions. [5] A history of exposure to potential causes and evaluation of symptoms may help in revealing the cause the exacerbation, which helps in choosing the best treatment. A sputum culture can specify which strain is causing a bacterial AECB. [5] An early morning sample is ...
The term is most commonly used to refer to pleural empyema, [1] which is empyema of the pleural cavity. It is similar or the same in meaning as an abscess, but the context of use may sometimes be different. For instance, appendicular abscess is also formed within a natural cavity as the definition of empyema.
It is a medical emergency and may require immediate treatment without further investigations (see Treatment section). [ 15 ] [ 16 ] The most common findings in people with tension pneumothorax are chest pain and respiratory distress, often with an increased heart rate ( tachycardia ) and rapid breathing ( tachypnea ) in the initial stages.
Pleural effusions may also develop following the accumulation of other fluids within the pleural cavity; if the fluid is blood it is known as hemothorax (as in major chest injuries), if the fluid is pus it is known as pyothorax (resulting from chest infections), and if the fluid is lymph it is known as chylothorax (resulting from rupture of the ...
Chemicals such as bleomycin, tetracycline (e.g., minocycline), [2] povidone-iodine, or a slurry of talc can be introduced into the pleural space through a chest drain. The instilled chemicals cause irritation between the parietal and the visceral layers of the pleura which closes off the space between them and prevents further fluid from accumulating. [3]
Treatment is focused on reversing the cause of inflammation and reducing symptoms. Corticosteroids may be given to reduce inflammation, often before long-term scarring occurs. Antibiotics are usually not helpful or needed, unless there is a secondary infection. Oxygen therapy may be helpful.
A pleural effusion is accumulation of excessive fluid in the pleural space, the potential space that surrounds each lung.Under normal conditions, pleural fluid is secreted by the parietal pleural capillaries at a rate of 0.6 millilitre per kilogram weight per hour, and is cleared by lymphatic absorption leaving behind only 5–15 millilitres of fluid, which helps to maintain a functional ...