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Immediate priorities
Critical stabilization
If severe respiratory distress, escalate to resuscitation bay
If SpO2 < 90% on room air, supplemental oxygen
If increased work of breathing despite oxygen, noninvasive ventilation if appropriate
If impending respiratory failure, prepare for airway management
Difficult airway risk with massive effusion and mediastinal shift
Post-intubation hypotension risk from reduced venous return
Hemodynamic instability triggers
If systolic BP < 90 mmHg or signs of shock, urgent evaluation for tension physiology
If obstructive physiology suspected, urgent imaging and drainage planning
Monitoring and access
Continuous pulse oximetry
Cardiac monitoring
Two large-bore IVs
Time-critical diagnoses
Tension hydrothorax physiology
Severe dyspnea with unilateral absent breath sounds
Tracheal deviation away from affected side
Hypotension with JVP elevation
Empyema with sepsis
Fever with pleuritic pain
Tachycardia with hypotension
Hemothorax
Trauma history or anticoagulation
Rapidly enlarging effusion with anemia
Pulmonary embolism with effusion
Pleuritic pain with tachycardia
Hypoxemia disproportionate to effusion size
Key concepts
Bedside framing
Pleural effusion definition
Abnormal fluid in pleural space
Mechanisms include hydrostatic pressure, oncotic pressure, permeability, lymphatic obstruction
Immediate risk stratification
Respiratory compromise severity
Infection probability
Bleeding probability
Malignancy probability
SymptomDx is an educational tool for medical professionals. It does not replace clinical judgment. Verify all clinical data and drug dosages with authoritative sources.