Chyliform (cholesterol) pleural effusion.
Chyliform pleural effusions are a little known occurrence only sparingly reported in the literature. At the lung department in Uppsala, Sweden, 11 cases have been seen the last few years. Typically, the exudate develops in a long-standing pleural thickening resulting from therapeutic pneumothorax many years earlier. The exudate contains a high level of cholesterol, probably breakdown products from blood cells. It is usually sterile, and only very rarely can one find tubercle bacilli growing from it. There is a tendency toward recurrence. If the patient benefits clinically from aspiration of the fluid, decortication is indicated.
D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism*; D002916:Chylothorax; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy; D011031:Pneumothorax, Artificial / Q000009:adverse effects; D011677:Punctures; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000601:surgery
D002784:Cholesterol