Synonyms
Definition
Pleural effusion is the presence of excessive fluid in the pleural cavity. The pleura is a two-sheet, serous membrane that covers the chest wall, mediastinum (parietal pleura), and lungs (visceral pleura). Between the parietal and visceral pleura, there is a virtual space filled with a small liquid pellicle with a high daily turnover which permits sliding. Daily fluid production is about 0.01–0.02 mL kg−1 h−1 being continuously absorbed in a way that remaining the pleural fluid is about 0.1–0.2 mL kg−1. Fluid movement and absorption are supported by a balance between plasmatic and pleural pressures (hydrostatic and oncotic pressures) and thoracic lymphatic drainage. Pleural effusions occur because of an upset in these mechanisms that reabsorb the fluid normally present in the pleural space.
Characteristics
Pleural effusion is a common clinical problem seen at the advanced stage of several malignant diseases and...
Keywords
- Pleural Effusion
- Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma
- Pleural Space
- Malignant Pleural Effusion
- Visceral Pleura
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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References
Gasparri R, Leo F, Veronesi G et al (2006) Video-assisted management of malignant pleural effusion in breast carcinoma. Cancer 106:271–276
Rusch VW (2002) Pleural effusion: benign and malignant. In: Thoracic surgery, 2nd edn. Churchill Livingstone, New York, pp 1157–1170
Terracciano D, Di Carlo A, Papa P et al (2004) New approaches in the diagnostic procedure of malignant pleural effusions. Oncol Rep 12:79–83
Villena V, Lopez-Encuentra A, Echave-Sustaeta J et al (2003) Diagnostic value of CA 549 in pleural fluid. Comparison with CEA, CA 15–3 and CA 72–4. Lung Cancer 40:289–294
See Also
(2012) Malignant pleural effusion. In: Schwab M (ed) Encyclopedia of cancer, 3rd edn. Springer, Berlin/Heidelberg, p 2149. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-16483-5_3516
(2012) Pleural biopsy. In: Schwab M (ed) Encyclopedia of cancer, 3rd edn. Springer, Berlin/Heidelberg, p 2923. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-16483-5_4624
(2012) Pleuroperitoneal shunting. In: Schwab M (ed) Encyclopedia of cancer, 3rd edn. Springer, Berlin/Heidelberg, p 2927. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-16483-5_4628
(2012) Pneumothorax. In: Schwab M (ed) Encyclopedia of cancer, 3rd edn. Springer, Berlin/Heidelberg, p 2932. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-16483-5_4649
(2012) Thoracentesis. In: Schwab M (ed) Encyclopedia of cancer, 3rd edn. Springer, Berlin/Heidelberg, p 3672. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-16483-5_5782
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Guarize, J., Spaggiari, L. (2014). Pleural Effusion. In: Schwab, M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Cancer. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27841-9_4625-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27841-9_4625-4
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Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-27841-9
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