Diagnostically useful pleural fluid characteristics
Fluid | Suspected disease |
Putrid odour | Anaerobic empyema |
Food particles | Oesophageal rupture |
Bile stained | Cholothorax (biliary fistula) |
Milky | Chylothorax/pseudochylothorax |
‘Anchovy sauce’ like fluid | Ruptured amoebic abscess |