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Updated: Aug 15, 2026

Local Anesthetic Thoracoscopy for Undiagnosed Pleural Effusion
Published on: November 10, 2023
Treatment of a pleural effusion due to Charcot's arthropathy
1Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Palo Alto, Calif 94304, USA.
Abstract:
Cervical spinal cord injury compromises the ventilatory muscles and is associated with respiratory complications. Patients who are quadriplegics are also at increased risk of Charcot's arthropathy of the spine. The development of a large pleural effusion in quadriplegia further increases respiratory compromise. I present a case of Charcot's arthropathy of the spine causing a large pleural effusion that presented as respiratory distress in a quadriplegic. Pleurodesis was successful in preventing reaccumulation of the pleural effusion with a reduction in dyspnea.
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