pleuritis

Although certain inflammatory disorders yield characteristic morphological changes in pleural biopsies, the histological appearance of pleural inflammation is often diagnostically nonspecific.

The generic response to pleural injury is characterized by neutrophils and chronic lymphocytic inflammation, fibrin deposition, fibroplasia, and reactive angiogenesis.

Types (examples)

 acute pleuritis

• fibrinous pleuritis
• neutrophilic pleuritis

 chronic pleuritis

• lymphocytic pleuritis
• eosinophilic pleuritis
• granulomatous pleuritis
  • tuberculoid pleuritis

• sclerosing pleuritis
  • pachypleuritis

Etiology

 benign disorders

• parapneumonic effusion
• empyema
• rheumatoid arthritis
• systemic lupus erythematosis
• infectious pleuritis
• post-thoracotomy syndrome
• chronic congestive heart failure
• cirrhosis
• nephrotic syndrome
• family mediterranean fever (FMF)
• indwelling catheter

 tumors / tumoral disorders