Dr Romila Bahl, Consultant, UCLH

With thanks to Dr Paul Atkinson,

CEM Level 2 Chair, Addenbrooke’s Hospital

Pleural Effusion

Features

• Anechoic – if pure fluid – seen as black on the USS

• Some echogenicity – if pus or blood seen –can use colour flow to differentiate from liver and spleen (NB identify diaphragm)

• Are dependant

• Can compress the lung

Regulations around chest drain

insertion

• BTS – British Thoracic Society

BTS 2008 – Paediatric chest

drain

NPSA

NPSA

NPSA

NPSA