Authors : Pranay Kumar Pradeep Rangineni, Anand P. Ambali, R C Bidri
DOI : 10.18231/j.ijcbr.2020.031
Volume : 7
Issue : 1
Year : 2020
Page No : 151-153
Pleural effusions occuring as a result of acute or chronic pancreatitis are usually transient, short lived and
are easily curable if the diagnosis is identified. It is mostly left sided and less likely right sided and very
rarely bilateral. We are hereby reporting a case of a 38 year old male patient who was a chronic alcoholic
who was symptomatic for left sided pleural effusion. Pleural fluid examination revealed high amylase levels
suggesting a pancreatic etiology for the effusion. After 1 week of hospitalisation, the patient developed
right sided effusion in addition to the left sided effusion. Unilateral or bilateral exudative pleural effusion
of unknown etiology and elevated pleural fluid amylase should be suspected as pleural effusions with
an underlying pancreatic pathology. The pathology in the pancreas was confirmed with the radiological
investigations supportive of pancreatitis.
Key Message: Pancreatitis not only develop haemorrhagic pleural effusion, it also produce bilateral pleural
effusion. Elevated amylase levels in pleural fluid is suggestive of pancreatic aetiology. Timely surgical
intervention like E will reduce the pleural effusion and improves survival.
Keywords: Pancreatitis, Bilateral, Effusion, Amylase.