Definition The hematothorax describes an accumulation of blood in the patient’s chest cavity. It represents a special form of pleural effusion. Pleural effusion is an accumulation of fluid between the lung pleura and the pleura, the two so-called pleural leaves. Together they form the pleura. This effusion can have various causes and different compositions. A … Hematothorax
Symptoms The symptoms vary depending on the extent of fluid accumulation. If there is heavy bleeding into the pleural gap, breathing difficulties occur because the lungs are no longer able to expand properly due to the spatial restriction caused by the accumulation of blood. As a consequence of the impaired breathing, an oxygen deficiency occurs. … Symptoms | Hematothorax
Therapy In order to ensure that therapy is effective, the cause of the hematothorax should first be determined. If this involves injuries to vessels or organs, these should be treated first in order to prevent greater blood loss and to keep the accumulation of blood in the thorax as low as possible. The next measure … Therapy | Hematothorax
Complications of a hematothorax In the event of very severe bleeding due to vascular or organ injuries to the chest, uncontrollable blood loss can occur, which can lead to imminent danger to life. For this reason, a hematothorax should be treated as quickly as possible by specialist personnel or, as an initial measure, by an … Complications of a hematothorax | Hematothorax
Introduction A pneumothorax develops when the lung skin is injured or when the air bubble bursts. A sharp pain is felt locally at the site of the event. Afterwards, the pain disappears again, unless the traumatic event leaves additional painful damage. When the pleura is punctured, the lung loses its function of developing and adequately … Symptoms of pneumothorax
How do you recognize a tension pneumothorax? If the symptoms of a pneumothorax are accompanied by a drop in blood pressure and an increase in heart rate, this indicates a tension pneumothorax. The level at which the drop in blood pressure becomes noticeable varies from individual to individual – the symptoms are characterized by circulatory … How do you recognize a tension pneumothorax? | Symptoms of pneumothorax
Definition – What is a pleural empyema? The translation of the technical term “pleural empyema” means an accumulation of pus in the pleura. The pleura describes an envelope of the lungs, which consists of two leaves. The lung itself is covered by a thin leaf of the pleura, the so-called “visceral pleura”. From the outside, … What is a pleural empyema?
Course of the disease with a pleural empyema A pleural empyema is usually preceded by an infectious disease, which can enter the body in various ways. Only when this inflammation reaches the edges of the lungs and the pleura can pus accumulate there. The original inflammation may be highly acute and active, or it may … Course of the disease with a pleural empyema | What is a pleural empyema?
Causes of pleural empyema The most common cause of a pleural empyema is a bacterial inflammation of the leaves of the pleura. Normally, the pleura is a closed space where neither air nor bacteria can enter. Bacteria can only cause an inflammation there if they reach one of the pleura‘s leaves from the outside or … Causes of pleural empyema | What is a pleural empyema?
How contagious is a pleural empyema? In principle, a pleural empyema and its underlying disease is a contagious clinical picture.In most cases, however, the pleural empyema is encapsulated in the thorax and thus represents a negligible risk of infection. Depending on the pathogen, however, an underlying pneumonia can be contagious. Pathogens can be distributed in … How contagious is a pleural empyema? | What is a pleural empyema?
