Conduta para diagnóstico da causa da síndrome do derrame pleural / Conduct for diagnosis of syndrome of pleural effusion cause

O derrame pleural é síndrome clínica que pode acompanhar diversas doenças, quer primárias da pleura, quer secundárias a lesões do parênquima pulmonar ou a enfermidades sistêmicas. A literatura mundial ainda relata que entre 11% e 20% dos casos a causa da síndrome do derrame pleural fica sem ser estabelecida. O diagnóstico sindrômico e etiológico deve seguir critérios e roteiros padronizados para o diagnóstico da causa e o tratamento adequado.

Pleural effusion is a clinical syndrome that may accompany various diseases, either primary of the pleura, or secondary to parenchymal lesions or systemic illnesses. The literature also reports that between 11% and 20% of cases the cause of the syndrome of pleural effusion is not being established. The syndromic diagnosis and etiologic and scripts should follow standard cirteria for diagnosing the cause and proper treatment.

Chronic Expanding Hematoma of the Thorax

We report the first case in Korea of a chronic expanding hematoma, which presented as a huge mass in the pleural cavity. A 67-year-old woman exhibiting a slowly-expanding intrathoracic mass, as revealed by a chest radiograph, was admitted to our hospital. The patient had undergone a pneumonectomy 37 years earlier during treatment for pulmonary tuberculosis. Computed tomography revealed a huge mass in her right hemithorax. The differential diagnosis of this mass included chronic empyema combined with a malignancy, such as lymphoma or a soft tissue sarcoma. The tumor, which was classified as an encapsulated chronic hematoma, was removed surgically. Samples sent for histopathological and microbiological analysis revealed no evidence of neoplasia or infection. The patient was finally diagnosed with a chronic expanding hematoma of the thorax. This case is particularly rare due to the patient's development of a very large mass after undergoing treatment for tuberculosis more than 30 years earlier.

Experimental pleurodesis induced by antibiotics (macrolides or quinolones) / Pleurodese experimental induzida por antibióticos (macrolídeos e quinolonas)

PURPOSE: Chemical pleurodesis is a therapeutic tool for the treatment of recurrent pleural effusions, mainly those of neoplastic etiology. In the past, tetracycline was the sclerosant agent of choice in clinical practice, but presently, there is no consensus about an ideal agent. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of macrolides (azithromycin and clarithromycin) or quinolones (levofloxacin and gatifloxacin) in inducing experimental pleurodesis in rabbits. METHOD: Forty New Zealand rabbits randomized into groups of 10 received (at a total volume of 2 mL for each animal) 1 of the 4 drugs by intrapleural injection. After 28 days, the animals were euthanized and the pleural cavity was evaluated macroscopically and microscopically. RESULTS: The intensity of the macroscopic adhesions was mild in all groups. On microscopic analysis, minimal pleural fibrosis and inflammation were observed in all animals. CONCLUSION: The macrolides (azithromycin or clarithromycin) and the quinolones (levofloxacin or gatifloxacin) when injected into the normal pleural space of rabbits are not effective in promoting pleurodesis. Additional research is required to identify sclerosing agents capable of inducing pleurodesis.

OBJETIVO: A pleurodese química representa uma ferramenta terapêutica utilizada no tratamento dos processos pleurais recidivantes, principalmente nos derrames neoplásicos. A escolha do melhor esclerosante pleural é ainda motivo de controvérsia, não havendo consenso com relação ao agente considerado ideal. O objetivo deste estudo é avaliar a efetividade dos macrolídeos (azitromicina e claritromicina) e das quinolonas (levofloxacina e gatifloxacina) na indução de pleurodese experimental em coelhos. MÉTODOS: Quarenta animais randomizados em grupos de 10, receberam, em volume total de 2 mL, estas drogas através de injeção intrapleural. RESULTADOS: Após 28 dias, os animais foram sacrificados sendo avaliada a cavidade pleural. A intensidade das aderências macroscópicas assim como da fibrose e da inflamação observadas à microscopia foi discreta tanto no grupo que recebeu macrolídeos quanto naquele que recebeu quinolonas. CONCLUSÃO: Azitromicina, Claritromicina, Levofloxacina e Gatifloxacina quando injetados na cavidade pleural de coelhos, não são eficazes na indução de pleurodese. Novas pesquisas devem ser realizadas com o intuito de identificar agentes esclerosantes capazes de produzir sínfise pleural.

Mioplastia en el tratamiento de fistulas broncopleurales / Myoplasty in the treatment of bronchopleural fistulas

Las fístulas broncopleurales posoperatorias asociadas o no a empiema constituyen una fuente importante de morbimortalidad en pacientes que han sufrido resecciones pulmonares, principalmente cuando se tratan enfermedades malignas. El objetivo de este artículo es revisar los resultados obtenidos en el tratamiento de 6 pacientes tratados entre 1997 y 2003. La operación previa fue neumonectomía derecha en 5 pacientes y lobectomía superior derecha en uno. Las causas de la operación fueron traumatismo, tumores benignos y malignos y tuberculosis. En los 6 pacientes se utilizó mioplastia con el dorsal ancho para la obliteración de la cavidad pleural remanente. Las técnicas complementarias comprendieron el uso de colgajos pediculados de músculo intercostal (3 pacientes), mioplastia con el músculo pectoral mayor y toracoplastia parcial en un paciente cada una. La complicación más frecuente fue la fuga aérea mantenida por más de 10 días. Todos los pacientes mantenían el cierre bronquial al año de la operación(AU)

The postoperative bronchopleural fistulas associated or not with empyema are an important source of morbimortality in patients that have suffered from pulmonary resections, mainly when malignant diseases are treated. The purpose of this article is to review the results obtained in the treatment of six patients from 1997 to 2003. The previous operation was right pneumonectomy in five patients and upper right lobectomy in one. The causes of the operation were traumatism, benign and malignant tumors and tuberculosis. In the six patients, it was used myoplasty with the wide dorsal for the obliteration of the remaining pleural cavity. The complementary techniques comprised the use of pedicled flaps of intercostal muscle (3 patients), myoplasty with the pectoralis major and partial thoracoplasty in a patient, each one. The most frequent complication was the aerial leakage maintained for more than ten days. All the patients kept the bronchial closure a year after the operation(AU)

Empyema thoracis.

Parapneumonic effusion and empyema thoracis remains a significant source of morbidity in children, though the overall incidence of empyema thoracis has decreased in the past two decades. These conditions pose a dilemma regarding evaluation and treatment for the treating physician. This article discusses the practical strategies in the management of empyema thoracis in children.