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Updated: Feb 26, 2026

Local Anesthetic Thoracoscopy for Undiagnosed Pleural Effusion
Published on: November 10, 2023
An undiagnosed pleural effusion with surprising consequences
A G Casalini1, F Cusmano2, N Sverzellati3
1Unit of Pulmonology and Thoracic Endoscopy, University Hospital of Parma, Parma, Italy.
Abstract:
We present the case of a 43-year-old Italian woman with a left undiagnosed pleural effusion, which in subsequent months presented a clinically unexpected evolution with the appearance at first of a right wrist tenosynovitis and subsequently a bilateral lung involvement caused by M. Tuberculosis. With this case report, we would like to underline the importance of making a correct diagnosis of any pleural effusion as soon as possible by at least a thoracocentesis. If untreated, tuberculosis may easily disseminate to other organs. Some considerations and suggestions for antibiotic treatment of pleural effusion will also be given, since many antibiotics have some anti-tuberculosis effect and may delay the diagnosis of this infectious disease.
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