What is pleural effusion?
The pleural space around the lungs allows them to expand and is lined with a thin layer of tissue called the pleura. Pleural effusion is the build-up of extra fluid in the space that can put pressure on your lungs and make it difficult to breathe or cause a lung to collapse. It’s sometimes referred to as “water on the lungs.”
Symptoms
If you have pleural effusion, you may experience:
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Coughing
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Shortness of breath
You may feel relief from some symptoms when sitting upright or standing.
What causes pleural effusion?
The cause of pleural effusion will affect the type of fluid build-up around the lungs, which is either a watery or protein-rich fluid. Some common causes of pleural effusion include:
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Influenza
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Open heart surgery or chest trauma
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Pneumonia
Tests
Diagnosing pleural effusion is the first step to developing a treatment plan. Our specialists may recommend one or more diagnostic and imaging procedures to evaluate your condition.
Treatment
Treatment will depend on the condition causing your pleural effusion and the amount of fluid in the pleural space.
Our providers
Location: Change location Enter your location
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Maria Veronica Bautista, MD
Pediatric Pulmonology
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Julian K Chung, MD
Pulmonology
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Susan L. Davis, ACNP-BC, BSN, MSN
Cardiac Surgery
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Helen Tressa D'Couto, MD
Pulmonology
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Seyed Ebrahim Kassaian, MD
Cardio-Oncology & Cardiology
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Dureaden Khan, MPAS, PA
Cardiac Surgery
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Rebecca Lauren Krochmal, MD
Critical Care Medicine, Interventional Pulmonology & Pulmonology
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Uday Bipinchandra Nanavaty, MBBS, MD
Pulmonology
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Cierra Catherine O'Neill, MPAS, PA-C
Cardiac Surgery
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Ian Mandeville Oppenheim, MD
Pulmonology & Critical Care Medicine
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Martin Jerome Sheridan, MD
Sleep Medicine & Pulmonology
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John H Sherner, MD
Pulmonology & Critical Care Medicine
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Ajeet Gomathy Vinayak, MD
Critical Care Medicine, Pulmonary Critical Care, Pulmonology & Neurocritical Care
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Gaby Weissman, MD
Cardiology
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Jared Michael Widell, MD
Cardiac Imaging & Cardiology
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Jonathan R. Gower, MD
Cardiac Surgery & Cardiothoracic Surgery
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Insurance
MedStar Health accepts most major health insurance plans. If you are uncertain as to whether your individual health insurance plan is accepted at MedStar Health, please call your insurance company.