Pleural thickening

Introduction Pleural hypertrophy is first caused by pleurisy. Some are more than 2 cm, composed of fibrous connective tissue, grayish white, the surface is granulation tissue, there are a lot of necrotic tissue and empyema in the abscess and there are two kinds of pleurisy. One is dry pleurisy (no pleural effusion) ), the other is exudative pleurisy (with pleural effusion). The production of pleural hypertrophy is mainly due to the second type of pleurisy. Because the pleural effusion was not detected and pumped in time, the pleural effusion stayed in the pleural cavity for a long time. The pleural effusion stimulated the pleura and the pleural effusion with fibrin attached to the chest wall, which increased the pleural hyperplasia. Therefore, patients suffering from pleural effusion should go to the hospital for treatment in time, otherwise it will easily produce pleural hypertrophy.

Cause

Causes of pleural thickening:

Pleural thickening may be inflammatory, such as tuberculosis infection, of course, may be accompanied by other infections, biopsy can be clearly diagnosed for treatment. Pleural thickening is simply a reduction in the activity of the lungs, and the use of the lungs is reduced, which may result in different responses depending on the degree of thickening.

The so-called pleural adhesion is the adhesion of the two layers of the pleura. This lesion is caused by tuberculosis, pleurisy, and chest injury. The reason is that there is often oozing fluid in the pleural cavity of this type of injured patient. Once the fibrin in the effusion is deposited on the pleura, the pleural thickening can occur. If fibrin is stagnation, the opposite two layers The pleura gradually sticks, or there is granulation tissue hyperplasia in the pleural cavity, which can also lead to thickening of the pleura and adhesion. There are often both pleural thickening and pleural adhesions.

an examination

Related inspection

Chest flat chest chest perspective chest MRI chest CT examination chest B-ultrasound

The clinical symptoms vary, but there are common symptoms such as chest pain or difficulty breathing. Pleural adhesions are also a chronic illness. The way to treat this type of lesion is: to prevent the main use of antibacterial anti-inflammatory drugs to control the development of inflammation, if the adhesion has formed prominent symptoms, then surgery to loosen the adhesion. Long-term practice has shown that the effects of these two methods can not be satisfied by both doctors and patients, especially surgical treatment, not only the patient suffering, but also easy to cause new pleural adhesions and pleural calcification.

Generally, water in the chest can be checked with B-ultrasound.

Differential diagnosis

Differential diagnosis of pleural thickening:

Pleural adhesion: The so-called pleural adhesion is the adhesion of the two layers of the pleura. This lesion is caused by tuberculosis, pleurisy, and chest injury.

Pleural metastasis: pleural metastasis is mainly from the lungs, followed by the breast, and other common primary sites include the stomach, ovaries, and pancreas. Cancer causes pleural capillary pressure, colloid osmotic pressure, capillary permeability and intrathoracic pressure changes, resulting in pleural effusion - malignant pleural effusion. Malignant pleural effusion, also known as cancerous pleurisy, is a pleural effusion caused by cancer pleural metastasis and pleural cancer itself. Malignant pleural effusion is a common complication of advanced cancer. Once a pleural effusion occurs in a cancer patient, it means that the lesion has spread locally or in the body.

Pleural calcification: Calcium salts can form in the presence of organic blood clots or necrotic material in the pleural cavity, forming pleural calcification. Pleural calcification is more common in tuberculous pleurisy, suppurative pleurisy and injurious hemothorax. Some pneumoconiosis, such as talc lung and asbestosis, may also have pleural calcification and are often bilateral. Pleural calcification often coincides with pleural thickening and adhesion.

The material in this site is intended to be of general informational use and is not intended to constitute medical advice, probable diagnosis, or recommended treatments.