An elusive cause of pleural effusion.
A 32-year-old man was admitted with cerebrospinal fluid leakage from a right scalp surgical wound after a resection of recurrent meningioma and reconstruction of skull with muscle flap 3&emsp14;weeks earlier. On day 4 of admission, he was found to be tachycardic and decreased breath sounds on the right side. Chest x-ray revealed a large right pleural effusion which was found to be exudative after thoracocentesis. Infectious work-up and cytology was negative. CT showed both parietal and visceral pleural masses, which was consistent with meningioma on ultrasound-guided biopsy. He underwent right-side decortication and pleurodesis for recurrent pleural effusion. He declined further treatment and opted for hospice care and expired a month later.
Department of Internal Medicine, Health Partners, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA. drmks1@gmail.com
Manish K
MK
Saha
Tarek
T
Hamieh
D000328:Adult; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008579:Meningioma / Q000556:secondary* / Q000628:therapy; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary*; D011859:Radiography; D013610:Tachycardia / Q000209:etiology