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Cureus 2019 Jan 7;11(1):e3839. Epub 2019 Jan 7.

Gastroenterology, Syracuse Veteran's Affairs Medical Center, Syracuse, USA.

Hydrothorax is a rare complication of peritoneal dialysis occurring in about 2% of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients. These effusions occur soon after the onset of dialysis and are usually right-sided. We describe an unusual case of late-onset, left-sided, and recurrent effusions in the setting of CAPD. Read More

Am J Hosp Palliat Care 2019 Mar 18:1049909119837517. Epub 2019 Mar 18.

3 Center for Transitional Care, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ, USA.

Background:: Symptomatic pleural effusions create discomfort and are a frequent cause of hospitalization. Ultrasound-guided thoracentesis is a key palliative intervention to assist in the management of this vulnerable population. Our institution has created a multidisciplinary transitional care program to address the needs of those discharged from the hospital with chronic complex conditions, including symptomatic pleural effusions. Read More

Case Rep Pediatr 2019 6;2019:2853632. Epub 2019 Feb 6.

Division of Critical Care Medicine, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA.

A case of bilateral spontaneous chylothorax with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) bronchiolitis has never been reported. We report the case of a 7-month-old boy born at 33 weeks gestation with a history of Down syndrome, atrial septal defect, pulmonary hypertension, and chronic lung disease, hospitalized due to RSV bronchiolitis who developed bilateral spontaneous chylothorax with exacerbation of pulmonary hypertension (PH). The patient died after 9 weeks of mechanical ventilation and treatment for PH. Read More

Respir Med Case Rep 2019 22;26:301-303. Epub 2019 Feb 22.

Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, NE, United States.

This case report describes the clinical course and diagnostic challenges arising in a 75 year old man who initially presented with progressive shortness of breath. Imaging revealed a pleural effusion, which was recurrent following thoracentesis. While his initial workup suggested an autoimmune etiology, further diagnostic testing revealed a diagnosis of malignant pleural mesothelioma. Read More

Chin Med J (Engl) 2019 Feb 26. Epub 2019 Feb 26.

Shanxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanxi Dayi Hospital, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030032, China.

Background: In the era of precision medicine, chemotherapy is still considered the cornerstone of treatment for lung cancer patients without gene mutations. How to reduce the toxicity and increase the efficiency of chemotherapy is worth exploring. This study aimed to investigate the curative effects and safety of hyperthermia combined with chemotherapy (HCT) for advanced patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), especially those with malignant pleural effusion. Read More

Lung India 2019 Mar-Apr;36(2):142-148

Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.

Issues related to the management of pleural effusion in India are unique. With high incidence of tuberculosis and malignancy, managing patients with pleural effusion may not be the same between patients. Decisions on intercostal chest drain insertion, volume of fluid to be removed during therapeutic thoracentesis, and further diagnostic imaging and investigations are often taken with difficulty in low-resource settings. Read More

Lung India 2019 Mar-Apr;36(2):112-117

Department of Internal Medicine, Salmaniya Medical Complex, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain.

Background And Objectives: Pleural effusion is seen in around half of the cases of pulmonary embolism (PE). There are no data on the incidence of pleural effusion in cases of PE in the Kingdom of Bahrain. This study was done to determine the frequency and radiological features of pleural effusion in cases of acute PE and also to characterize the pleural fluid biochemistry and cell type in patients subjected to diagnostic thoracentesis. Read More

Zhongguo Fei Ai Za Zhi 2019 Feb;22(2):118-124

Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.

Lung cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide. Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) caused by advanced lung cancer seriously affect the patients' quality of life and prognosis. The management of MPE includes thoracentesis, pleurodesis, indwelling pleural catheters and drug perfusion in pleural cavity. Read More

Int J Environ Res Public Health 2019 Feb 27;16(5). Epub 2019 Feb 27.

School of Respiratory Therapy, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan.

Air pollution is known to increase the risk of pneumonia. However, the effects of air pollution on the pleural effusion of patients with pneumonia are unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate alterations in inflammatory⁻immune biomarkers by air pollution in patients with pneumonia by analyzing their pleural effusion. Read More

Respir Med Case Rep 2019 5;26:260-264. Epub 2019 Feb 5.

Department of Respiratory Medicine, Tokyo Medical University Hospital, 6-7-1 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan.

Chylothorax is reported as a postoperative complication, mainly in the field of thoracic surgery, but there are only 14 reports in the field of spinal surgery. A 64-year-old woman underwent spinal fusion surgery by the anterior and posterior approach for her scoliosis. She developed leg edema and right pleural effusion 2 months after the surgery. Read More

Lancet Respir Med 2019 Feb 13. Epub 2019 Feb 13.

Departments of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Thoracic Surgery, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA. Electronic address:

Background: In patients with non-expandable lung, removal of pleural fluid can result in excessively negative pleural pressure, which is associated with chest discomfort, pneumothorax, and re-expansion pulmonary oedema. Pleural manometry is widely used to safeguard against pressure-related complications during thoracentesis despite little evidence to support the approach. We investigated whether monitoring of pleural pressure with manometry during thoracentesis could protect against complications compared with assessment of symptoms alone. Read More

Lancet Respir Med 2019 Feb 13. Epub 2019 Feb 13.

Department of Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Diseases and Allergy, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland.

Eur J Case Rep Intern Med 2018 28;5(11):000975. Epub 2018 Nov 28.

Department of Pneumology, Centro Hospitalar do Médio Tejo, Abrantes, Portugal.

Although the current medical literature is limited, hydropneumothorax was described as far back as the 5th century BC. It is characterized by the presence of air and fluid in the pleural cavity and is an infrequent finding. Causes include trauma, iatrogenesis following thoracentesis, the presence of gas-forming organisms, tuberculosis and malignancy. Read More

Am Surg 2018 Oct;84(10):1622-1625

Department of Surgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA.

Charge markups for health care are variable and inflated several times beyond cost. Using the 2015 Medicare Provider Fee-For-Service Utilization and Payment Data file, we identified providers who billed for critical care hours and related procedures, including CPR, EKG interpretation, central line placement, arterial line placement, chest tube/thoracentesis, and emergent endotracheal intubation. Markup ratios (MRs), defined as the amount charged divided by the amount allowable, were calculated and compared; 42. Read More

J Thorac Dis 2018 Dec;10(12):6903-6911

Departments of Pneumonology and Thoracic Oncology, University Hospital of Saint-Etienne, Saint-Priest-en-Jarez, France.

Background: Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) is a common medical problem in lung cancer (LC). Pleural fluid cytology (PFC), chest computed tomography (CCT) and positron emission tomography (PET) findings are helpful as first line approach. The objectives of this study were to evaluate whether there is a correlation between PFC, CCT and PET in patients with MPE due to LC. Read More

Cleve Clin J Med 2019 Feb;86(2):95-99

Respiratory and Critical Care Institute, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Malignant pleural effusion can be managed in different ways, including clinical observation, thoracentesis, placement of an indwelling pleural catheter, and chemical pleurodesis. The optimal strategy depends on a variety of clinical factors. This article uses cases to illustrate the rationale for determining the best approach in different situations. Read More

Ultrasound Q 2019 Feb 4. Epub 2019 Feb 4.

Department of Radiology, Medical Faculty, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey.

The aim of the study was to investigate the efficacy of shear-wave elastography (SWE) in the differentiation of transudative and exudative pleural effusions. This monocentric study comprised 60 cases (17 transudative, 43 exudative).Transthoracic SWE was performed in 60 cases for whom to use thoracentesis for the pleural fluid analysis was planned. Read More

Arch Dis Child Educ Pract Ed 2019 Feb 1. Epub 2019 Feb 1.

School of Medicine, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy.

Questions: 1. What is your diagnosis?Atelectasis.Pneumothorax. Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2019 Jan 31;12(1). Epub 2019 Jan 31.

Internal Medicine, Hospital Universitario de Mostoles, Mostoles, Madrid, Spain.

Infections caused by fusobacteria have a wide clinical spectrum, and in certain patients, they can lead to severe systemic illness. We report the case of an immunocompromised young woman who presented with severe pneumonia complicated by parapneumonic pleural effusion, despite wide-spectrum antibiotic treatment. was isolated in the samples obtained after thoracentesis was performed. Read More

Telemed J E Health 2019 Feb 1. Epub 2019 Feb 1.

1 Israel Defense Forces Medical Corps, Tel Hashomer, Israel.

Background: Most deaths in military trauma occur soon after wounding, and demand immediate on scene interventions. Although hemorrhage predominates as the cause of potentially preventable death, airway obstruction and tension pneumothorax are also frequent. First responders caring for casualties in operational settings often have limited clinical experience. Read More

Turk Thorac J 2019 Jan 1;20(1):25-29. Epub 2019 Jan 1.

Clinic of Emergency, Edirne I. Sultan Murat State Hospital, Edirne, Turkey.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients who underwent tube thoracostomy in the emergency department (ED). The secondary aim of the study was to evaluate parameters such as the diagnosis for which the patients underwent tube thoracostomy, the imaging techniques used during diagnosis, and complications related to the procedure.

Materials And Methods: This prospective study was conducted in the ED between June 1, 2015 and May 31, 2016. Read More

Clin Case Rep 2019 Jan 25;7(1):149-151. Epub 2018 Nov 25.

Pediatric Department King Saud University College of Medicine Riyadh Saudi Arabia.

Hydrothorax is a serious complication of peritoneal dialysis, and it may be resolved by deferring dialysis or decreasing dialysate volumes. Repeat thoracentesis is not well tolerated in children. Therefore, if conservative measures fail, thoracotomy or thoracoscopy with endoscopic repair of associated diaphragmatic eventration should be considered before reinstating peritoneal dialysis. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2019 Jan;98(3):e14151

Department of Respiratory Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Foushan, Guangdong Province, China.

Rational: Clinical and radiologic manifestations of pleural amyloidosis are non-specific. And it can easily be missed or misdiagnosed. Meanwhile, few studies document amyloidosis presenting with pulmonary infarcts at the same time. Read More

Pulm Pharmacol Ther 2019 Apr 14;55:1-4. Epub 2019 Jan 14.

Biomedical Engineer, Clinicas Hospital of Porto Alegre, Brazil.

Background And Objectives: Adjunctive intrapleural fibrinolytic is an option to treat empyema at fibrinopurulent stage, but there is controversy about which should be use. Our objective is to evaluate the action of alteplase and/or desoxyribonuclease at physical and chemical properties in vitro pus derived from an experimental induced empyema in rats.

Methods: Streptococcus pneumoniae was introduced into the pleural cavity by thoracentesis through pleural pressure monitor. Read More

Semin Respir Crit Care Med 2018 Dec 14;39(6):713-719. Epub 2019 Jan 14.

Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.

Pleural effusions account for significant symptoms and morbidity. Recent studies demonstrate a high mortality in patients with "benign" pleural effusions, now better characterized as nonmalignant pleural effusions (NMPEs) based on their prognosis. The most common nonmalignant clinical conditions with recurrent pleural effusions are congestive heart failure and hepatic hydrothorax, although many other diseases exist in isolation or as comorbid conditions. Read More

J Emerg Med 2019 Jan 9. Epub 2019 Jan 9.

Children's Emergency, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.

Background: Point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS) is increasingly used for both diagnostic and guided procedures. Increasingly, POCUS has been used for identification of pneumonia and to assist in the differentiation of pleural effusions, as well as to guide thoracentesis. As such, there is a need for training with ideally high-fidelity lung ultrasound phantoms to ensure ultrasound proficiency and procedural competency. Read More

Respiration 2019 Jan 9:1-9. Epub 2019 Jan 9.

Copenhagen Academy for Medical Education and Simulation, The Capital Region of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Background: Trocar pigtail catheter thoracentesis (TPCT) is a common procedure often performed by junior physicians. Simulation-based training may effectively train physicians in the procedure prior to performing it on patients. An assessment tool with solid validity evidence is necessary to ensure sufficient procedural competence. Read More

Clin Respir J 2019 Feb;13(2):73-81

Department of Respiratory Medicine, University Hospital of Evros, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece.

Thoracoscopy in the endoscopy suite, has a high diagnostic yield of undiagnosed pleural effusions with minimal and mild complications. Whereas relatively minimal invasive techniques, such as thoracentesis, image-guided pleural biopsy or blind pleural biopsy, can yield sufficient cell or tissue material to establish the diagnosis of the underlying condition, more definite invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedure, such as thoracoscopy, may be required for accurate sampling and diagnosis, and further provide real-time treatment options in same procedure. If thoracoscopy is considered the gold standard for the diagnosis is a fact in case. Read More

Am J Perinatol 2018 Dec 14. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

Department of Neonatal Medicine, Osaka Women's and Children's Hospital, Izumi, Osaka, Japan.

Objective:  To assess effects of neonatal transport on transient tachypnea of the newborn (TTN) in outborn term neonates.

Study Design:  This retrospective cohort study included 66 term neonates diagnosed with TTN and transported to the Osaka Women's and Children's Hospital neonatal intensive care unit between January 2003 and March 2018. A multivariate logistic regression analysis identified perinatal and neonatal transport factors associated with adverse short-term outcomes defined as mechanical ventilation >48 hours, continuous positive airway pressure >72 hours, pulmonary hemorrhage, and requirement for inhaled nitric oxide, thoracentesis, or surfactant replacement therapy. Read More

Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2019 Feb 13;38(2):297-304. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Department of Medicine, Solna, Infectious Diseases Unit, Karolinska University Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.

The aim of this study was to use a 16S rDNA sequencing method in combination with conventional culture in patients with parapneumonic effusions (PPE) to evaluate the methods, study the microbiological spectrum, and examine the presence of bacteria within the different stages of PPE. Adults with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and PPE (n = 197) admitted to the Departments of Infectious Diseases at four hospitals in Stockholm County during 2011-2014 were prospectively studied. All patients underwent thoracentesis. Read More

Turk J Med Sci 2018 Dec 12;48(6):1167-1174. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Department of Chest Disease, School of Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey

Background/aim: Discrimination of pleural effusion etiology is not always easy in clinical practice. Pentraxin-3 (PTX-3) is a new acute- phase protein. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of PTX-3 in the differential diagnosis of pleural effusions. Read More

Arch Bronconeumol 2018 Dec 7. Epub 2018 Dec 7.

Servicio de Neumología, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago, Santiago de Compostela, La Coruña, España; Grupo Interdisciplinar de Investigación en Neumología, Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias de Santiago (IDIS), Santiago de Compostela, La Coruña, España.

Respirol Case Rep 2019 Feb 28;7(2):e00391. Epub 2018 Nov 28.

Department of Medical Oncology Izumi City General Hospital Izumi Japan.

Porous diaphragm syndrome describes a defect in the diaphragm in which substances pass from the peritoneal cavity to the pleural space. Defects may be congenital or acquired. Acquired defects are caused by the thinning and eventual splitting of collagen fibres in the tendinous part of the diaphragm. Read More

Respir Med Case Rep 2019 12;26:35-38. Epub 2018 Nov 12.

Department of Tuberculosis, Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, NO.1 Yintan Road, Dongxihu District, Wuhan 430023, Hubei, China.

Background: Anhydrous ethanol, for its part, has been successfully used to treat renal cyst, hepatocellular carcinoma and ovarian chocolate cyst et al. However, in spite of the high frequency of tuberculous purulent pleural effusion, we found that only a few very early studies that attempted to assess the use of intrapleural anhydrous ethanol in tuberculous effusions with signs of empyema. We report a patient who was injected anhydrous ethanol into pleural cavity to treat chronic tuberculous empyema. Read More

J Thorac Dis 2018 Oct;10(10):5964-5967

Department of Pulmonary/Critical Care, Staten Island University Hospital, Staten Island, New York, USA.

Thoracostomy tubes are indicated for management of air or fluid in the pleural cavity. Pigtail catheters have emerged as an effective and less morbid alternative to traditional large bore chest tubes for evacuation of pleural air or fluid. However, they do not come without complications which commonly include pneumothorax and hemothorax. Read More

Rev Recent Clin Trials 2019 ;14(1):24-30

Oncology Department - Poliambulanza Foundation, Brescia, Italy.

Background: Malignant pleural effusion, which is a common clinical problem in patients with cancer, may be due to both primary thoracic tumours or to a metastatic spread in the chest and constitutes the first sign of disease in approximately 10% of patients. Almost all cancers can potentially produce a pleural effusion. The presence of malignant tumour cells in the pleural fluid is generally indicative of advanced disease and is associated with high morbidity and mortality with reduced therapeutic options. Read More

Respirol Case Rep 2019 Jan 28;7(1):e00381. Epub 2018 Nov 28.

Respiratory Disease and Lung Function Unit, Department of Medicine and Surgery University of Parma Parma Italy.

Pleural effusions may be related to pleuro-pulmonary or systemic disorders, including malignancy. Thoracentesis and thoracoscopy may be useful to diagnosis. In some cases, the diagnosis may be difficult and uncommon. Read More

Can Respir J 2018 30;2018:9761583. Epub 2018 Oct 30.

Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Serbia.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of thoracic sonography in treatment of pleural effusions and to identify sonographic indicators for surgical intervention.

Materials And Methods: This study included 378 patients with pleural effusions. US characteristics of effusions as the echo structure and pleural thickening were analyzed. Read More

J Bronchology Interv Pulmonol 2018 Nov 14. Epub 2018 Nov 14.

Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine.

Background: Pleural effusions may be aspirated manually or via vacuum during thoracentesis. This study compares the safety, pain level, and time involved in these techniques.

Methods: We randomized 100 patients receiving ultrasound-guided unilateral thoracentesis in an academic medical center from December 2015 through September 2017 to either vacuum or manual drainage. Read More

BMC Anesthesiol 2018 Nov 14;18(1):169. Epub 2018 Nov 14.

Department of Emergency Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.

Background: Cavity effusion is common in patients with infectious diseases. However, the incidence rate and characteristics of serous cavity effusions (SCE) in septic patients are not clear to date. The objective of this study was to investigate the incidence and characteristics of SCE in septic patients and to explore the correlations between the bloody effusions and the illness severity/prognosis in septic patients. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2018 Oct;97(43):e12915

Division of Respiratory Disease, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.

Late-onset pacemaker-related pleural effusions (PEs) are rare and are often misdiagnosed with other entities. Our study aimed to detail the clinical features and management of PEs long after pacemaker insertion.We conducted a review of 6 consecutive elderly patients with PEs, who had undergone a new pacemaker insertion from September 2014 to January 2017. Read More

Case Rep Pulmonol 2018 16;2018:8735036. Epub 2018 Oct 16.

Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center, USA.

Introduction: Hemothorax is usually related to chest or iatrogenic trauma from procedures such as central lines and thoracentesis. Spontaneous hemothorax is defined as pleural fluid hematocrit greater than 50% of serum hematocrit in absence of natural or iatrogenic trauma affecting the lung or pleural space. Coagulopathy secondary to anticoagulant use has been associated with spontaneous hemothorax. Read More

Respir Med Case Rep 2018 25;25:318-322. Epub 2018 Oct 25.

Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, University of Florida, College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, United States.

Pleural effusions occur in up to 70% of cases of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). However, MPM rarely presents as a chylous effusion making it a diagnostic challenge. There are only six reported cases to date. Read More

J Endourol 2019 Jan 2. Epub 2019 Jan 2.

2 Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute , Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio.

Objective: To develop a contemporary complication profile for supracostal upper pole endoscopic-guided prone tubeless "maxi-PCNL" to evaluate the need for change.

Materials/methods: We identified patients undergoing supracostal upper pole percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) by a single surgeon at a high volume tertiary care stone center between October 2010 and April 2017. Access was obtained with ureteroscopic guidance. Read More

Panminerva Med 2018 Oct 31. Epub 2018 Oct 31.

Divisione di Pneumologia, Spedali Civili di Brescia, Brescia, Italy.

Diseases of the pleura and pleural space are common and present a significant contribution to the workload of respiratory physicians, accounting for an annual incidence of more than 1.5 million cases in the US with the majority of cases resulting from congestive heart failure, pneumonia, and cancer 1. Although the radiographic and ultrasonographic detection of pleural abnormalities may be obvious, the determination of a specific diagnosis can often represent a challenge. Read More

Respir Med Case Rep 2018 4;25:303-305. Epub 2018 Oct 4.

Division of Respiratory Medicine, Grand River Hospital, 835 King St W, Kitchener, Ontario, N2G 1G3, Canada.

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunting into the pleural space can cause complications such as long-standing pleural effusions and trapped lung. These complications can be difficult to manage due to the propensity of effusions to recur, and the irreversible nature of trapped lung. This report describes the case of a woman with a pleural CSF shunt who developed chronic pleural effusions and trapped lung over two years, following a 24-year period without any respiratory shunt complications. Read More

Acta Gastroenterol Belg 2018 Jul-Sep;81(3):427-429

Antwerp University Hospital, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation is a common complication after liver transplantation. In patients with CMV infection, indicated by a positive CMV DNA titer, the presence of any clinical symptom is termed CMV disease. The most common organ affected in CMV disease is the gastrointestinal tract, causing esophagitis, gastritis, enteritis or colitis. Read More

Zhonghua Gan Zang Bing Za Zhi 2018 Jul;26(7):503-507

Department of Radiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital; Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China.

To investigate the relationship between radiofrequency ablation immediately after enhanced CT scanning and the occurrence of contrast agent spillover and postoperative severe bleeding, and analyze the risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A retrospective analysis of 199 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who underwent radiofrequency ablation of liver cancer in our hospital from January 2016 to January 2017 was reviewed. A total of 232 cases were treated with ablation. Read More

Med Sci Monit 2018 Oct 10;24:7238-7248. Epub 2018 Oct 10.

Department of Epidemiology, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui, China (mainland).

BACKGROUND Traditional diagnostic methods for tuberculosis (TB) cannot be reliably applied to tuberculous pleurisy. Therefore, this prospective, randomized, controlled trial was performed to compare the diagnostic sensitivity and safety of ultrasound-guided cutting-needle pleural biopsy versus thoracoscopic pleural biopsy in patients suspected of tuberculous pleurisy following inconclusive thoracentesis. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 196 adult patients with acid-fast bacillus (AFB)-negative exudative pleural effusions clinically suspected of tuberculous pleurisy were recruited. Read More