Abstract
Background: Etiological diagnosis of exudative pleural effusion is sometimes difficult despite cytological, biochemical and microbiological tests.
Aim of Study: Was to make an etiological diagnosis of exudative pleural effusion by pleural biopsy, thoracosopy and PCR of pleural fluid.
Patients and Methods: This prospective study was per-formed from September 2015 to August 2016 in Chest De-partment, Assiut University Hospital A total of 50 patients with exudative pleural effusion in whom the diagnosis was uncertain after routine biochemical, cytological and micro-biological evaluation of pleural fluid were included in the study. These patients underwent pleural biopsy by Abram's needle and histopathology was done to determine the etiology of pleural effusion. Also thoracosopy was done to undiagnosed pleural effusion, and PCRof pleural effusion was done.
Results: Out of 50 patients, most (28,56%) were male. Majority was malignant pleural effusion (18,36%). Pleural fluid was straw color in 15 (100%) cases of tuberculous effusion and hemorrhagic in 11 (61.1%) cases of malignant effusion. Pleural biopsy diagnosed 14 (77.8%) cases of ma-lignant effusion and 10 (66.7%) cases of tuberculous effusion, PCR of pleural fluid diagnosed 14 (93.3%) cases of tuberculous effusion.
Conclusions: Pleural biopsy was diagnostic in the patients with exudative pleural effusion. PCR of pleural fuild was diagnostic in Tuberculous effusion.