Patient education: Pleural effusion – Discharge instructions (The Basics)

What are discharge instructions? — Discharge instructions are information about how to take care of yourself after getting medical care for a health problem.

What is pleural effusion? — Pleural effusion is a buildup of fluid around the lungs (figure 1). It affects the space between the outside of the lungs and the inner chest wall. This is called the "pleural space."

Pleural effusion can make it hard to breathe. When this happens, doctors can use a needle or tube to drain the fluid from around the lungs.

How do I care for myself at home? — Ask the doctor or nurse what you should do when you go home. Make sure that you understand exactly what you need to do to care for yourself. Ask questions if there is anything you do not understand.

You should also:

●Take all of your medicines as instructed. The medicines you take will depend on what caused your pleural effusion. For example, if you have an infection, you might get antibiotics. If your doctor prescribed medicines for pain, follow all instructions for taking them.

●Make sure that you know how to care for the tube or "catheter" still in your chest, if you went home with one. This includes:

•How to drain the fluid

•How and when to change the bandages

•How to keep the area clean to help prevent infection

•What activities to avoid while you have the tube in

•What to do if you notice any problems

●Make sure that you know how to use your oxygen equipment, if you went home with this.

●Limit physical activity while you are recovering. Your doctor or nurse will tell you when it's safe to go back to your usual activities.

What follow-up care do I need? — Your doctor or nurse will tell you if you need to make a follow-up appointment. They might want to do a chest X-ray or another imaging test to check the space around your lungs. If so, make sure that you know when and where to go. Some people do something called "pulmonary rehab" to help them recover. This involves learning specific exercises and other things to help breathing.

When should I call the doctor? — Call your doctor or nurse if you have:

●Pleural effusion symptoms that come back, such as:

•Shortness of breath

•Chest pain

•Cough

●Any problems with your chest tube or catheter, such as:

•Blood in the tube, or bleeding where it enters your skin

•A blockage in the tube that prevents it from draining

•The tube coming out

●Signs of an infection, such as fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, or chills

More on this topic

Patient education: Pleural effusion (The Basics)
Patient education: Pleuritic chest pain (The Basics)
Patient education: Chest tubes and catheters (The Basics)
Patient education: How to care for a chest tube or catheter (The Basics)

Patient education: Thoracentesis (Beyond the Basics)