Resumen de Does This Patient Have an Exudative Pleural Effusion?: The Rational Clinical Examination Systematic Review

M. Elizabeth Wilcox, Christopher A.K.Y. Chong, Matthew B. Stanbrook, Camilla Wong

• Importance Thoracentesis is performed to identify the cause of a pleural effusion. Although generally safe, thoracentesis may be complicated by transient hypoxemia, bleeding, patient discomfort, reexpansion pulmonary edema, and pneumothorax.

  Objective To identify the best means for differentiating between transudative and exudative effusions and also to identify thoracentesis techniques for minimizing the risk of complications by performing a systematic review the evidence.