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Clinical features

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

Presentation of pleural effusion differs according to size of the effusion, the rate of fluid accumulation, comorbidities, and underlying respiratory reserve.
Symptoms:

  • may be asymptomatic
  • dyspnoea - dependent on size of effusion
  • dull chest pain
  • cough (non productive) (1)

Signs:

  • there may be a displacement of the trachea and the lung apex away from the effusion if it is very large
  • there is reduced movement of the affected side
  • the site of the pleural effusion is dull to percussion; classical stony dullness is not a constant sign
  • there is reduced vocal fremitus over a pleural effusion
  • breath sounds are reduced or absent over a pleural effusion
  • towards the upper part of an effusion there may be signs of consolidation i.e. bronchial breathing and bleating vocal resonance - aegophony
  • the presence of Grocco's triangle is considered to be pathognomonic

Reference:

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