Massive Pleural Effusion Suggesting a Malignant Effusion

Abstract

Background: Massive pleural effusion is one of the way of presentations of malignant effusion, it is unlikely to be seen in other causes of effusions, thorough workup and follow up is necessary, in this case series most of the cases was confirmed to be of malignant etiology. Objectives: The main objective from this study is to detect the cause behind massive pleural effusion and for early detection of a malignant etiology. Methods: Case series study involving 11 inpatient cases of massive effusion that had been evaluated sequentially with pleural fluid cytology then if negative pleural biopsy with either medical pleuroscopy or video assisted thoracoscopy (VATS). Results: Six of eleven cases were discovered to have malignant effusion, two cases were tuberculous pleuritis (TB pleuritis), one case were complicated parapneumonic effusion; the other 2 cases there were no specific diagnoses. Conclusions: Most of the cases of massive pleural effusion were discovered to be malignant effusion.