Patients with parapneumonic effusions (PPE) measuring <1 cm by lateral decubitus radiograph (LDR) or <5 cm by lateral erect radiograph (LER) do not require thoracentesis. No such data exist for chest computed tomography (CCT). The objective of this study was to identify a PPE measurement by CCT that indicates the need for thoracentesis. A secondary data analysis of two pneumonia databases was c...

Pleural effusion is a ubiquitous complication in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Common etiologies of pleural effusion in this patient group are heart failure, volume overload, parapneumonic effusion, tuberculotic pleuritis, and uremic pleuritis. Although thoracentesis is a useful diagnostic method of pleural effusion, empirical reduction of the dry weight is often attempted without thoracentesis b...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Pleural effusions have a major impact on the cardiorespiratory system. This article reviews the pathophysiological effects of pleural effusions and pleural drainage, their relationship with breathlessness, and highlights key knowledge gaps. RECENT FINDINGS The basis for breathlessness in pleural effusions and relief following thoracentesis is not well understood. Many existi...

A 79-year-old male patient with no symptoms was referred to us with incidentally detected pleural effusion and nodules. He had previously been diagnosed with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and had undergone left subtotal thyroidectomy 12 years before his referral. Four years after the operation, he experienced a relapse limited to the cervical lymph node and was treated with neck dissection....