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Pleural Effusion

Pleural effusion is an excess buildup of fluid between the layers of the pleura outside the lungs, which can restrict lung expansion. The pleura are thin membranes that line the lungs and chest cavity to lubricate breathing. Pleural effusions can be caused by conditions that lead to fluid leaks like congestive heart failure, or by infections, cancers, pulmonary embolisms, and autoimmune diseases. Symptoms may include shortness of breath, chest pain, fever, or cough. Treatment focuses on addressing the underlying cause, with large or infected effusions sometimes requiring drainage through procedures like thoracentesis or chest tubes.

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39 views3 pages

Pleural Effusion

Pleural effusion is an excess buildup of fluid between the layers of the pleura outside the lungs, which can restrict lung expansion. The pleura are thin membranes that line the lungs and chest cavity to lubricate breathing. Pleural effusions can be caused by conditions that lead to fluid leaks like congestive heart failure, or by infections, cancers, pulmonary embolisms, and autoimmune diseases. Symptoms may include shortness of breath, chest pain, fever, or cough. Treatment focuses on addressing the underlying cause, with large or infected effusions sometimes requiring drainage through procedures like thoracentesis or chest tubes.

Uploaded by

Rensa Ards
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Pleural effusion, sometimes referred to as “water on the lungs,” is the build-up of

excess fluid between the layers of the pleura outside the lungs. Which can restrict lung
expansion.
The pleura are thin membranes that line the lungs and the inside of the chest cavity
and act to lubricate and facilitate breathing.

Pleura 2 types
-Parietal Pleura which is lining the chest wall
-Visceral Pleura which is lining the lungs
-Pleural Cavity filled with small fluid that cusions and lubricates the lungs

CAUSES
Depending on the cause, the excess fluid may be either protein-poor (transudative) or
protein-rich (exudative). These two categories help physicians determine the cause of
the pleural effusion.
Transudative - is when fluid is leaking into the pleural space.
Exudative - occur when the pleura is damaged, e.g., by trauma, infection or
malignancy, causing excessive production of fluid
Leaking from other organs. This usually happens if you have congestive heart failure,
when your heart doesn't pump blood to your body properly. But it can also come from
liver or kidney disease, when fluid builds up in your body and leaks into the pleural
space.
Cancer. Usually lung cancer is the problem, but other cancers that have spread to the
lung or pleura can cause it, too.
Infections. Some illnesses that lead to pleural effusion are pneumonia or tuberculosis.
Autoimmune conditions. Lupus or rheumatoid arthritis are some diseases that can
cause it.
Pulmonary embolism. This is a blockage in an artery in one of your lungs, and it can
lead to pleural effusion.
Pleural effusions are very common, with approximately 100,000 cases diagnosed in the
United States each year, according to the National Cancer Institute.
SYMPTOMS
It might not have any. You're more likely to have symptoms when a pleural effusion is
moderate or large-sized, or if there is also inflammation.
 Shortness of breath
 Chest pain, especially when breathing in deeply (This is called pleurisy or
pleuritic pain.)
 Fever
 Cough

Treatment
Your doctor may need to treat only the medical condition that caused the pleural
effusion. You would get antibiotics for pneumonia, for instance, or diuretics for
congestive heart failure.
Large, infected, or inflamed pleural effusions often need to get drained to help you feel
better and prevent more problems.
Procedures for treating pleural effusions include:
Thoracentesis. If the effusion is large, your doctor may take more fluid than she needs
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. Your doctor will tell you how and when to do that.

NURSING DIAGNONSIS INTERVENTION


 Identify and treat the underlying cause
 Monitor breath sounds
 Place the client in a high Fowler’s position
 Encourage coughing and deep breathing
 Prepare the client for thoracentesis
 If pleural effusion is recurrent, prepare the client for pleurectomy or pleurodesis
as prescribed
  Ineffective breathing pattern related to the decline in lung expansion secondary
to the buildup of fluid in the pleural cavity
 Anxiety related to the threat of death imaginable (inability to breathe).
 Activity Intolerance related to fatigue (poor physical state)

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