We reviewed our experience with fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB) in patients with pleural effusion of unknown origin. Seventy patients underwent FOB for the investigation of pleural effusion between 1978 and 1983. Those with a second reason for FOB, a mass on chest roentgenogram, or lobar atelectasis were excluded. Forty five patients remained: 28 patients with unexplained pleural effusion after p...

BACKGROUND Closed pleural biopsy (CPB) in patients with malignant pleural effusion is less sensitive than cytology. Ultrasound-assisted CPB allows biopsies to be performed in the lower thoracic parietal pleura, where secondary spread from pleural metastases is initially more likely to be found. We analyzed whether choosing the point of entry for CPB with thoracic ultrasound assistance influence...

Thoracoscopy is an old but still very valuable technique for the evaluation of pleural pathology and, especially for the further investigation of the aetiology of pleural fluid. It remains of great importance, since it is able to not only provide an exact diagnosis, but also can have therapeutic potential. In this review, the differential diagnostic aspects of transudate versus exudate are furt...

Pleural effusion is a common complication of systemic and localised disease. 15% to 20% of all exudative pleural effusions remain undiagnosed despite intensive efforts. In exudative pleural effusions, thoracocentesis and closed pleural biopsy are commonly employed investigative modalities to diagnose pleural disease of unknown etiology. It eliminates the need for a diagnostic thoracotomy. Diffe...

Our objective was to evaluate the efficacy of a standardised work-up in the diagnosis of pleural tuberculosis (TB) that included fibreoptic bronchoscopy and medical thoracoscopy. A consecutive series of 52 pleural TB patients observed during the period 2001-2015 was evaluated retrospectively. 20 females, mean (range) age 39.7 (18-74) years, and 32 males, mean (range) age 45.75 (21-83) years, we...

OBJECTIVE To assess the association between size and number of biopsy specimens obtained by percutaneous closed pleural biopsy, with overall diagnostic yield in general, and histopathological evidence of tuberculosis pleurisy, in particular. METHODS One hundred and forty-three patients, with a high index of clinically having tuberculous pleurisy, were referred to the respiratory division of M...

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is thought to arise from the mesothelial cells that line the pleural cavities. Most patients initially experience the insidious onset of chest pain or shortness of breath and have a history of asbestos exposure. MPM rarely presents as spontaneous pneumothorax. We report two male patients who presented with a spontaneous hydropneumothorax. One was exposed to ...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE It has been proven that telomerase activation correlates with the carcinogenesis, aggressiveness and turnover of lung cancer. Telomerase is one of the improtant molecular biomarkers for diagnosis and targeting therapy in lung cancer. The aim of this study is to investigate the diagnostic value of the combined determination of telomerase activity in induced sputum, pleur...

There have been no systematic studies of diseases causing pleural effusion in Qatar. This prospective, hospital-based study involved all adult patients (> 15 years) with pleural effusions who were admitted to referral hospitals over a 1-year period. A total of 200 cases of pleural effusion were identified (152 males and 48 females); mean age 45.1 (SD 18.5) years. A majority of patients (73.5%) ...

Blind pleural needle biopsy and diagnostic thoracoscopy are procedures sometimes used in the work-up of a patient with pleural effusion of unknown origin. We reviewed 203 diagnostic thoracoscopies in patients with malignant pleural effusion to show the different location of pleural metastasis, some out of the reach of blind needle biopsy. Based on these data, we find diagnostic thoracoscopy a s...