indications for diagnostic and therapeutic thoracentesis

Diagnostic thoracentesis is performed to find the etiology of pleural effusions. This could be for infection workup, new onset pleural effusion without explanation, thickened parietal pleural on CT scan (pleural thickening on CT can indicate chronic inflammation or malignancy), loculation or signs of empyema (simple effusion, uncomplicated, complicated parapneumonic effusion, empyema).

Therapeutic thoras are done when the fluid is large enough to be drained.

source

  • indication
    • unclear etiology
    • fever workup