Suggested diagnosis | |
Color of fluid | |
Pale yellow (straw) | Transudate, some exudates |
Red (bloody) | Malignancy, benign asbestos pleural effusion, postcardiac injury syndrome, or pulmonary infarction in absence of trauma |
White (milky) | Chylothorax or cholesterol effusion |
Brown | Long-standing bloody effusion; rupture of amebic liver abscess |
Black[1-4] | Aspergillus niger, Rhizomes oryzae, metastatic melanoma, pancreaticopleural fistula, crack cocaine use, bronchogenic adenocarcinoma, esophageal perforation during treatment with activated charcoal, chronic hemothorax |
Yellow-green | Rheumatoid pleurisy |
Dark green | Biliothorax |
Color of: | |
Enteral tube feeding | Feeding tube has entered pleural space |
Central venous catheter infusate | Extravascular catheter migration |
Character of fluid | |
Pus | Empyema |
Viscous | Mesothelioma |
Debris | Rheumatoid pleurisy |
Turbid | Inflammatory exudate or lipid effusion |
Anchovy paste | Amebic liver abscess |
Odor of fluid | |
Putrid | Anaerobic empyema |
Ammonia | Urinothorax |
Do you want to add Medilib to your home screen?