Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsStructure and FunctionAssociated ConditionsSymptomsDiagnosisTreatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Structure and Function
Associated Conditions
Symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatment
Pleural fluid is defined as the fluid that is found between the layers of thepleura, the membranes of which line the cavity and surround the lungs. The space containing the fluid is referred to as thepleural cavityor pleural space. Normal pleural fluid consists of a small amount of a thin (serous) fluid that functions as a lubricant during breathing.
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Structure and Function of Pleural Fluid
Pleural fluid is a thin translucent fluid that fills the cavity between the parietal (outer) and visceral (inner) pleural layers surrounding the lungs. The volume of fluid is small, roughly 1-10 ml.
Conditions Involving the Pleural Cavity
Types of Pleural Fluid
There are two primary types of pleural fluid found in pleural effusions.
Transudates
One is atransudate, which is a thin, clear fluid. Causes of a transudate may include:
Exudates
The other type of fluid is anexudate, a thicker, pus-like fluid. an exudate may be found in:
Symptoms of Pleural Disorders
When fluid builds up in the pleural space, it can compress the underlying lung. This, in turn, may cause symptoms such as:
An excess amount of pleural fluid (pleural fluid) may be noted on a chest X-ray or chest CT scan, though these imaging tests are unable to determine what the fluid is.
In a procedure referred to as athoracentesis, a fine needle is inserted into the pleural space, and a sample extracted. If a large amount of fluid is present, this procedure can also remove fluid in order to improve breathing.
To determine the type of fluid, it is examined under the microscope (cytology) and other tests are done to check for the composition of the fluid. Cytology can detect the presence of certain white blood cells (their presence indicates an infection), bacteria (using agram stain), and other substances that shouldn’t be there. If an infection is suspected, the fluid would then be cultured to identify the specific organism.
If excess pleural fluid accumulates in the pleural space, it can result in increasing shortness of breath, chest pain (often worsening with a deep breath,) and may eventually compress the heart leading to heart failure.
To remove the fluid, a chest tube is usually placed.Chest tubeplacement involves the insertion of a flexible tube into the pleural space. The tube may be left in place to drain excess fluid, blood, or air which has accumulated. It can be kept in place for varying amounts of time depending on the condition or cause.
Another option is to place a one-way valve that lets air and fluid out of the pleural space but blocks air entry from outside into the pleural space. The fluid can then be withdrawn periodically, even in the comfort of your home. This is done most often for pleural effusions related to advanced cancer.
Finally, apleurectomymay be performed. In this procedure the pleural membranes are removed, effectively removing the pleural space.
Summary
Pleural fluid plays an important role in cushioning the movements of the lungs, but when increased in quantity, can limit this movement and cause symptoms such as pain and shortness of breath. Not all excesses of pleural fluid are the same, and determining the composition and the underlying cause are important in order to determine the best treatments.
4 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Ibitoye BO, Idowu BM, Ogunrombi AB, Afolabi BI.Ultrasonographic quantification of pleural effusion: comparison of four formulae.Ultrasonography. 2018;37(3):254–260. doi:10.14366/usg.17050Kookoolis AS, Puchalski JT, Murphy TE, Araujo KL, Pisani MA.Mortality of hospitalized patients with pleural effusions.J Pulm Respir Med. 2014;4(3):184. doi:10.4172/2161-105X.1000184Karkhanis VS, Joshi JM.Pleural effusion: diagnosis, treatment, and management.Open Access Emerg Med; 4:31–52.Porcel JM.Biomarkers in the diagnosis of pleural diseases: a 2018 update.Ther Adv Respir Dis. 2018;12:1753466618808660. doi:10.1177/1753466618808660Additional ReadingU.S. National Library of Medicine. Medline Plus.Pleural Fluid Analysis.
4 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Ibitoye BO, Idowu BM, Ogunrombi AB, Afolabi BI.Ultrasonographic quantification of pleural effusion: comparison of four formulae.Ultrasonography. 2018;37(3):254–260. doi:10.14366/usg.17050Kookoolis AS, Puchalski JT, Murphy TE, Araujo KL, Pisani MA.Mortality of hospitalized patients with pleural effusions.J Pulm Respir Med. 2014;4(3):184. doi:10.4172/2161-105X.1000184Karkhanis VS, Joshi JM.Pleural effusion: diagnosis, treatment, and management.Open Access Emerg Med; 4:31–52.Porcel JM.Biomarkers in the diagnosis of pleural diseases: a 2018 update.Ther Adv Respir Dis. 2018;12:1753466618808660. doi:10.1177/1753466618808660Additional ReadingU.S. National Library of Medicine. Medline Plus.Pleural Fluid Analysis.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Ibitoye BO, Idowu BM, Ogunrombi AB, Afolabi BI.Ultrasonographic quantification of pleural effusion: comparison of four formulae.Ultrasonography. 2018;37(3):254–260. doi:10.14366/usg.17050Kookoolis AS, Puchalski JT, Murphy TE, Araujo KL, Pisani MA.Mortality of hospitalized patients with pleural effusions.J Pulm Respir Med. 2014;4(3):184. doi:10.4172/2161-105X.1000184Karkhanis VS, Joshi JM.Pleural effusion: diagnosis, treatment, and management.Open Access Emerg Med; 4:31–52.Porcel JM.Biomarkers in the diagnosis of pleural diseases: a 2018 update.Ther Adv Respir Dis. 2018;12:1753466618808660. doi:10.1177/1753466618808660
Ibitoye BO, Idowu BM, Ogunrombi AB, Afolabi BI.Ultrasonographic quantification of pleural effusion: comparison of four formulae.Ultrasonography. 2018;37(3):254–260. doi:10.14366/usg.17050
Kookoolis AS, Puchalski JT, Murphy TE, Araujo KL, Pisani MA.Mortality of hospitalized patients with pleural effusions.J Pulm Respir Med. 2014;4(3):184. doi:10.4172/2161-105X.1000184
Karkhanis VS, Joshi JM.Pleural effusion: diagnosis, treatment, and management.Open Access Emerg Med; 4:31–52.
Porcel JM.Biomarkers in the diagnosis of pleural diseases: a 2018 update.Ther Adv Respir Dis. 2018;12:1753466618808660. doi:10.1177/1753466618808660
U.S. National Library of Medicine. Medline Plus.Pleural Fluid Analysis.
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