- Section 1 ICU organization and management
- Section 2 Pharmacotherapeutics
- Section 3 Resuscitation
- Section 4 The respiratory system
- Part 4.1 Physiology
- Part 4.2 Respiratory monitoring
- Part 4.3 Upper airway obstruction
- Part 4.4 Airway access
- Part 4.5 Acute respiratory failure
- Part 4.6 Ventilatory support
- Part 4.7 Weaning ventilatory support
- Part 4.8 Extracorporeal support
- Part 4.9 Aspiration and inhalation
- Part 4.10 Acute respiratory distress syndrome
- Part 4.11 Airflow limitation
- Part 4.12 Respiratory acidosis and alkalosis
- Part 4.13 Pneumonia
- Part 4.14 Atelectasis and sputum retention
- Part 4.15 Pleural cavity problems
- Chapter 123 Pathophysiology of pleural cavity disorders
- Chapter 124 Management of pneumothorax and bronchial fistulae
- Chapter 125 Management of pleural effusion and haemothorax
- Part 4.16 Haemoptysis
- Section 5 The cardiovascular system
- Section 6 The gastrointestinal system
- Section 7 Nutrition
- Section 8 The renal system
- Section 9 The neurological system
- Section 10 The metabolic and endocrine systems
- Section 11 The haematological system
- Section 12 The skin and connective tissue
- Section 13 Infection
- Section 14 Inflammation
- Section 15 Poisoning
- Section 16 Trauma
- Section 17 Physical disorders
- Section 18 Pain and sedation
- Section 19 General surgical and obstetric intensive care
- Section 20 Specialized intensive care
- Section 21 Recovery from critical illness
- Section 22 End-of-life care
(p. 570) Pleural cavity problems
The pleural cavity is normally a virtual space that is essential to guarantee the mechanical coupling between the lung and the chest wall. The volume of pleural liquid is determined by the equilibrium of fluid turnover. The determinants of this balance are the Starling forces, the lymphatic drainage, and the active trans-membrane transport. When fluid or air accumulate inside the pleural cavity, pleural pressure rises to atmospheric level causing the lung to collapse while the chest wall to expand. The displacement is not equally distributed between lung and chest wall, because it depends upon their own compliance. Pneumothorax and pleural effusion are common diseases in critically-ill patients. Pneumothorax is divided in two groups based upon the aetiological mechanism—spontaneous and traumatic. Pleural effusion is classified as transudates or exudates, mainly based on protein content; this classification comprises different pathological mechanisms beneath the two kind of pleural effusion.
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- Section 1 ICU organization and management
- Section 2 Pharmacotherapeutics
- Section 3 Resuscitation
- Section 4 The respiratory system
- Part 4.1 Physiology
- Part 4.2 Respiratory monitoring
- Part 4.3 Upper airway obstruction
- Part 4.4 Airway access
- Part 4.5 Acute respiratory failure
- Part 4.6 Ventilatory support
- Part 4.7 Weaning ventilatory support
- Part 4.8 Extracorporeal support
- Part 4.9 Aspiration and inhalation
- Part 4.10 Acute respiratory distress syndrome
- Part 4.11 Airflow limitation
- Part 4.12 Respiratory acidosis and alkalosis
- Part 4.13 Pneumonia
- Part 4.14 Atelectasis and sputum retention
- Part 4.15 Pleural cavity problems
- Chapter 123 Pathophysiology of pleural cavity disorders
- Chapter 124 Management of pneumothorax and bronchial fistulae
- Chapter 125 Management of pleural effusion and haemothorax
- Part 4.16 Haemoptysis
- Section 5 The cardiovascular system
- Section 6 The gastrointestinal system
- Section 7 Nutrition
- Section 8 The renal system
- Section 9 The neurological system
- Section 10 The metabolic and endocrine systems
- Section 11 The haematological system
- Section 12 The skin and connective tissue
- Section 13 Infection
- Section 14 Inflammation
- Section 15 Poisoning
- Section 16 Trauma
- Section 17 Physical disorders
- Section 18 Pain and sedation
- Section 19 General surgical and obstetric intensive care
- Section 20 Specialized intensive care
- Section 21 Recovery from critical illness
- Section 22 End-of-life care