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How do you approach treatment of septated parapneumonic pleural effusions that do not satisfy traditional criteria for complicated effusion after diagnostic thoracentesis?

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Mednet Member
Mednet Member
Pulmonology · Augusta University

Septated effusion is a complicated effusion, whether it is empyema, parapneumonic, or malignant, and usually, they are exudative. By definition, untreated parapneumonic effusion will become empyema.

Septations <4-6 week duration are usually fibrinous and can be lysed with tPa/DNase instilled through...

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