Haemothorax: Symptoms and Treatment

A simple haemothorax is characterized by blood loss into the thoracic cavity of at least 1000mL.

Chest X-ray (CXR) alone is sufficient to identify the presence of blood in the thoracic cavity in haemothorax cases.

Pleural effusion can be caused by heart, liver, or renal failure, resulting in low-protein transudate effusions.

Exudate effusions are typically low in protein and are commonly caused by chest infections.

Fluid withdrawn from the pleural cavity through a needle aspiration should not be sent for laboratory analysis to determine the cause.

A chest drain may not be used to drain the effusion fluid in cases of pleural effusion.

Pulmonary embolism can be caused by a collection of particulate matters becoming lodged in the pulmonary vascular system.

An open thoracotomy may be performed if the amount of blood evacuated in haemothorax cases is greater than 500–1000mL.

A pleural effusion causes the chest area to sound 'tympanic' on examination.

Haemothorax is not treated by chest drainage.