Respiratory patient management

Consultant respiratory physician, Dr She Lok explained: “Aspiration and drainage of pleural effusions has, traditionally, been conducted by clinicians on the ward, with the presence and position of fluid determined primarily by clinical assessment, assisted by a chest X-ray. This strategy could easily lead to dry taps – causing unnecessary discomfort for patients – or inappropriately placed drains, which could potentially be dangerous. “To deal with this issue, we have modified the clinical pathway for dealing with suspected pleural effusions, introducing bedside ultrasound scanning to improve patient care.”