THE OUTCOME OF PATIENTS WITH PLEURAL EFFUSION OF INDETERMINATE CAUSE AT THORACOTOMY

  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 56  (3) , 145-149
Abstract
In 51 patients the cause for pleural effusion remained indeterminate immediately after thoracotomy. Thirty-one (60.8%) had no recurrence of the effusion, and no cause became apparent during a follow-up period of 1 1/2-15 yr. Two patients (3.9%) died relatively soon after thoracotomy, but death was not clearly related to the pleural effusion. In 18 patients (35.3%) the cause of the effusion became apparent 12 days-6 yr after thoracotomy. In 13 of these 18 patients, malignancy (6 patients with lymphoma, 4 with malignant pleural mesothelioma and 3 with other malignancy) was ultimately diagnosed. In 3 patients the ultimate diagnosis was a collagen vascular disease, and 1 patient each had the yellow nail syndrome and mitral stenosis.

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