title: Beware the left-sided effusion.
abstract: A left-sided pleural effusion is an infrequent clinical occurrence compared with bilateral or right-sided effusions. After coronary bypass surgery, a patient presented with dyspnea and an enlarging left pleural effusion erroneously attributed to congestive heart failure and refractory to medical management. Thoracentesis generated a clinical surprise, allowed specific therapy, and produced evidence for a rarely reported complication of coronary artery bypass grafting. The management of chylothorax and the differential diagnosis of left-sided pleural effusions are reviewed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta 30912-3500, USA.
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Felz
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Neely
mesh_terms: D002916:Chylothorax / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000145:classification / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D013895:Thoracic Arteries / Q000601:surgery