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Pleural effusion - infant

Case contributed by Ian Bickle
Diagnosis certain

Presentation

D10 post-cardiac surgery and chest drain. Left-sided apical pneumothorax and surgical emphysema. Increase work of breathing. Reduced AE on the left side. Pneumothorax?

Patient Data

Age: 5 months
Gender: Female

Supine chest radiograph

x-ray

Moderate left-sided pleural effusion, extending to the apex. The oblique fissure is delineated by fluid.

No pleural air.

Right lung clear.

Case Discussion

Sharing a case of a significant sized pleural effusion in an infant, something many of us don't observe too often, unlike in adults.

As the radiograph projection is supine, the appearance is more layered in nature reaching the apex, rather than having a lateral meniscus.

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