sis within the pleural space. Increased procoagulant and decreased fibrinolytic activity in response to infection is unique to the serosal spaces and although the exact mechanism still needs to be elucidated, its effects are well known: pleural surfaces coated with fibrin and fibrin strands with secondary adhesions and loculations, all complicating pleural fluid drainage [1] . The third and fin...

This was a descriptive cross-sectional study carried out at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), Nairobi, among consecutively admitted adult patients with exudative pleural effusions over a one year period. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in these patients and to compare the diagnostic yields from the pleural fluid and pleural bi...

of large amount of pleural fluid with many polymorphonuclear leukocytes, bacteria and cellular debris. The pleural fluid becomes clottable due to leakage of plasma proteins and loss of fibrinolytic activity in pleural space resulting in the formation of thick layer of fibrin over parietal and visceral pleura. The migration of fibroblasts into pleural space leads to collagen deposition and along...

Forty-eight patients with pleural effusions who had sonographically directed thoracocentesis were evaluated retrospectively for radiologic findings, pleural fluid chemistries, and outcome. Loculation was found to be a radiologic marker of diagnostic and prognostic significance. The presence of loculations correlated with exudative pleural fluid chemistries, but no radiologic finding was specifi...

BACKGROUND Blind percutaneous pleural biopsy has traditionally been performed to investigate the etiology of exudative pleural effusion in which the initial thoracocentesis has been non- diagnostic. In view of the increasing use of image-guided and thoracoscopic pleural biopsies, this study examined the role of blind Abrams pleural biopsy in the investigation of the exudative pleural effusion i...

INTRODUCTION The cause of exudative pleural effusion cannot be determined in some patients. The longterm outcomes of patients with undiagnosed pleural effusion were analyzed. METHODS Patients with exudative pleural effusion whose diagnostic procedures included pleural biopsy using video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery carried out between 2008 and 2012 were evaluated retrospectively. Patients d...

Parapneumonic effusions account for about one third of all pleural effusions. Approximately 40% of patients with pneumonia develop a concomitant effusion, which is associated with an increased morbidity and mortality. In order to select the most appropriate therapy for the individual patient, the effusion should be categorized as being in the exudative, fibropurulent, or organizational stage, a...

Malignant pleural effusions (MPEs) are the second leading cause of exudative pleural effusions after parapneumonic effusions. In the vast majority of cases, a MPE signifies incurable disease associated with high morbidity and mortality. Considerable advances have been made for the diagnosis of MPEs, through the development of improved methods in the specialized cytological and imaging studies. ...