Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 22, 2026

Point-of-Care Lung Ultrasound in Adults: Image Acquisition
Published on: March 3, 2023
[Measuring pH in pleural fluid is valuable when identifying the cause of purulent pleural effusion]
Jesper Rømhild Davidsen1, Christian Borbjerg Laursen, Poul Henning Madsen
1Lungemedicinsk Afdeling J, Odense Universitetshospital, Sdr. Boulevard 29, Odense C. jrd@dadlnet.dk
Abstract:
A 79 year-old woman with disseminated ovarian cancer and recurring pleural effusions, had thoracocentesis performed with drainage of purulent pleural fluid (plf) after preceding symptoms of pneumonia. Pleural empyema was suspected. However, a plf-pH-measurement of 7.3 made this diagnose less likely. A subsequent analysis of plf revealed an elevated plf-triglyceride concentration, thus confirming chylothorax. In order to distinguish between pleural empyema and chylothorax plf-pH should be considered as a routine analysis in patients with underlying malignancy and drainage of purulent pleural fluid.
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