title: Assessment and management of patients with pleural effusions.
abstract: This article provides an overview of the assessment and management of patients with pleural effusions. A pleural effusion is an excessive accumulation of fluid between the layers of the pleura and is a common problem caused by a variety of mechanisms and diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing Development and Quality, Royal Brompton Hospital, London. E.Allibone@rbht.nhs.uk
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Allibone
mesh_terms: D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D015505:Chest Tubes; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004322:Drainage; D006801:Humans; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D010994:Pleura / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D018700:Pleurodesis; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors; D020775:Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted; D013906:Thoracoscopy; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed