Pleural Infection

Key points

• Pleural infection All patients with a pleural effusion in association with sepsis or a pneumonic illness require diagnostic pleural fluid sampling
• if the fluid is purulent or turbid/cloudy a chest tube should be placed to allow drainage
• if the fluid is clear but the pH is less than 7.2 in patients with suspected pleural infection a chest tube should be placed Management of recurrent pleural effusion Options for managing patients with recurrent pleural effusions…
• recurrent aspiration
• indwelling pleural catheter