Chapter 32: Disorders of the Pleura Test Bank
MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. Excessive amounts of pleural fluid may require drainage through a chest tube. What is the
normal amount of fluid present in the pleural space? 1L 5 to 10 L 10 to 50 mL 1 to 5 mL
a. b. c. d.
ANS: D
The pleural "space" is generally only a potential space with a normal fluid volume of 1 to 5 mL. The pleural membranes, however, are very thin and permeable to both liquid and gas; an estimated 5 to 10 L of fluid per day crosses from the parietal pleura to the visceral pleura in a normal adult. REF: p. 623 2. Which of the following factors determines the amount of fluid present in the pleural space? a. Intracapillary hydrostatic pressure b. Subatmospheric pressure in the pleural space c. Pleural pressure d. Intra-alveolar pressure ANS: B
Several factors determine the amount of fluid in the pleural space. The intracapillary hydrostatic pressures tend to drive fluid out of the capillaries, whereas the pericapillary hydrostatic pressures tend to counterbalance this force. The plasma colloid osmotic pressures exert a force to retain fluid within the capillaries, whereas the pericapillary colloid osmotic pressure tends to favor fluid movement out of the capillaries. Changes in the balance of these forces determine how much fluid is retained within the pleural space. REF: p. 623 3. Which of the following clinical conditions causes fluid to accumulate in the pleural space? a.
Congestive heart failure b. Asthma c. Cor pulmonale d. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ANS: A
Increased capillary permeability (e.g., acute respiratory distress syndrome), decreased intravascular colloid osmotic pressure (e.g., low serum albumin), and increased pulmonary venous pressure (e.g., heart failure) are common contributors to accumulation of fluid in the
