Biomaterial Database

The relationship between pleural pressures and changes in pulmonary function after therapeutic thoracentesis. 1986

R W Light, and D W Stansbury, and S E Brown

The purpose of this study was to determine whether changes in pulmonary function after therapeutic thoracentesis are related to the pleural pressure or to changes in pleural pressure during thoracentesis. Spirometry was obtained before and 24 h after thoracentesis in 26 patients. Pleural pressures were measured with a U-shaped manometer initially and after each 400-ml aliquot of pleural fluid was removed. Thoracentesis was continued until the patient developed severe symptoms (chest pain or coughing), the pleural pressure dropped below -20 cm H2O, or no more fluid could be obtained. The mean vital capacity improved 410 +/- 390 ml in this group of patients who had 1,740 +/- 900 ml fluid removed. The improvement in the VC most closely correlated with the pleural pressure after 800 ml fluid had been withdrawn (r = 0.57, p less than 0.005). The ratio of the improvement in the VC to the amount of fluid removed most closely correlated with the pressure change after 800 ml fluid had been removed (r = -0.43, p less than 0.05). From this study we conclude that the improvement in the FVC after therapeutic thoracentesis is small relative to the amount of fluid withdrawn. Patients with higher pleural pressures after the removal of 800 ml pleural fluid and patients with smaller decreases in the pleural pressure after removal of 800 ml pleural fluid have greater improvements in their pulmonary functions after thoracentesis.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008168	Lung	Either of the pair of organs occupying the cavity of the thorax that effect the aeration of the blood.	Lungs
D010994	Pleura	The thin serous membrane enveloping the lungs (LUNG) and lining the THORACIC CAVITY. Pleura consist of two layers, the inner visceral pleura lying next to the pulmonary parenchyma and the outer parietal pleura. Between the two layers is the PLEURAL CAVITY which contains a thin film of liquid.	Parietal Pleura,Visceral Pleura,Pleura, Parietal,Pleura, Visceral
D010996	Pleural Effusion	Presence of fluid in the pleural cavity resulting from excessive transudation or exudation from the pleural surfaces. It is a sign of disease and not a diagnosis in itself.	Effusion, Pleural,Effusions, Pleural,Pleural Effusions
D011312	Pressure	A type of stress exerted uniformly in all directions. Its measure is the force exerted per unit area. (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 6th ed)	Pressures
D004322	Drainage	The removal of fluids or discharges from the body, such as from a wound, sore, or cavity.
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D014109	Total Lung Capacity	The volume of air contained in the lungs at the end of a maximal inspiration. It is the equivalent to each of the following sums: VITAL CAPACITY plus RESIDUAL VOLUME; INSPIRATORY CAPACITY plus FUNCTIONAL RESIDUAL CAPACITY; TIDAL VOLUME plus INSPIRATORY RESERVE VOLUME plus functional residual capacity; or tidal volume plus inspiratory reserve volume plus EXPIRATORY RESERVE VOLUME plus residual volume.	Lung Capacity, Total,Capacities, Total Lung,Capacity, Total Lung,Lung Capacities, Total,Total Lung Capacities
D014797	Vital Capacity	The volume of air that is exhaled by a maximal expiration following a maximal inspiration.	Forced Vital Capacity,Capacities, Forced Vital,Capacities, Vital,Capacity, Forced Vital,Capacity, Vital,Forced Vital Capacities,Vital Capacities,Vital Capacities, Forced,Vital Capacity, Forced