Wet, Wacky Lungs: What is Pleural Effusion?

Pleural effusion – A build-up of fluid between the tissues that line the lungs and the chest.
Certain medical conditions can cause a pleural effusion. So, your pulmonologist will target the treatments at whatever caused it. It’s a serious condition associated with an increased risk of death.

What is pleura?

The pleura is a thin membrane that lines the surface of your lungs and the inside of your chest wall. When you have a pleural effusion, fluid builds up in the space between the layers of your pleura.

What causes pleural effusion?

A wide range of things can cause a pleural effusion. Some of the more common ones are:

• congestive heart failure (the most common cause overall)
• cirrhosis or poor liver function
• pulmonary embolism, which is caused by a blood clot and is a blockage in the lung arteries
• complications from open-heart surgery
• pneumonia
• severe kidney disease
• autoimmune diseases, such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis

Pleural effusions and cancer. Pleural effusions can be the result of cancer cells spreading to the pleura. They can also be the result of cancer cells blocking the flow of normal fluid within the pleura.

Symptoms and signs of pleural effusion

Some people show no symptoms. They usually find out when a pleural effusion is moderate or large-sized or there is inflammation. Common symptoms include:

• dry cough
• chest pain
• fever
• difficulty breathing while lying down
• shortness of breath
• persistent hiccups
• sometimes even difficulty with physical activities

How it is diagnosed

Your pulmonologist will perform a physical examination and listen to your lungs with a stethoscope. Other tests include:

• CT scan
• Chest ultrasound
• Bronchoscopy
• Pleural biopsy
• Pleural fluid analysis

Pleural effusion treatment

Large, infected, or inflamed pleural effusions often need to get drained to help you feel better and prevent more problems. It is done either with a needle or a small tube inserted into the chest.

Other procedures for treating pleural effusions include:

Pleurocentesis/Thoracentesis. If the effusion is large, your doctor may take more fluid than they need for testing, just to ease your symptoms.

Tube thoracostomy (chest tube). Your doctor makes a small cut in your chest wall and puts a plastic tube into your pleural space for several days.

Pleural drain. If your pleural effusions keep coming back, your doctor may put a long-term catheter through your skin into the pleural space. You can then drain the pleural effusion at home.

Pleurodesis. It is a procedure that uses medicine to adhere your lung to your chest wall. It seals up the space between the outer lining of your lung and chest wall (pleural cavity) to prevent fluid or air from continually building up around your lungs.

Pleural effusion treatment in Ahmedabad

Pleural effusions can be serious and life-threatening. Most require hospitalized treatment and some require surgery. So, if you are looking for consulting a pleural effusion doctor in Ahmedabad, reach out Dr. Kalpesh Panchal at Swastik Clinic.