PEDIATRIC MALIGNANT PLEURAL EFFUSION

Course overview

THE PLEURAL CAVITY IS A THIN LAYER OF THE SAC THAT IS LINED WITH A SEROUS MEMBRANE THAT ENCLOSES THE LUNGS AND SEPARATES IT FROM THE THORACIC CAGE. THERE IS AN INNER LAYER COVERING THE SURFACE OF THE LUNGS CALLED THE VISCERAL PLEURA. THE OUTER LAYER IS THE PARIETAL PLEURAL. A MINUSCULE AMOUNT OF FLUID THAT IS APPROXIMATELY 10 MICROLITERS THICK CAN BE FOUND BETWEEN THE 2 LAYERS. THE AMOUNT OF FLUID IN THE PLEURAL CAVITY IS REGULATED BY A FINE BALANCE IN THE ONCOTIC AND HYDROSTATIC PRESSURES BETWEEN THE PLEURAL SPACE AND THE INTRAVASCULAR COMPONENTS COUPLED WITH THE PERILYMPHATIC DRAINAGE. THE FRANK-STARLING LAW CONTROLS THIS PROCESS. TRANSUDATES ARE FORMED WHEN THERE IS A DISTURBANCE IN THE FINE BALANCE BETWEEN THE PRODUCTION OF PLEURAL FLUID AND ITS ABSORPTION. THERE ARE SEVERAL FACTORS INVOLVED IN THE FORMATION OF EXUDATES. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE CAUSES, PATHOPHYSIOLOGY AND PRESENTATION OF PEDIATRIC MALIGNANT PLEURAL EFFUSIONS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN ITS MANAGEMENT.