Pleural effusions can be due to excess fluid collection, transudative and exudative, or due to blockage of lymphatic drainage.

胸腔积液是由于液体形成过快，分漏出性胸水与渗出性胸水，或者由于淋巴引流阻塞，液体吸收过缓。

Transudative fluid looks clear, exudative effusions are full of immune cells and therefore look cloudy, and lymphatic fluid is filled with fats and looks like milk.

漏出液透明清亮；渗出液里有许多炎性细胞，因此看起来混浊；淋巴液里充满脂肪，所以看起来像牛奶。

A transudative pleural effusion occurs when too much fluid starts to leave the capillaries either because of increased hydrostatic pressure or decreased oncotic pressure in the blood vessels.

漏出性胸腔积液发生于大量液体漏出毛细血管，可能是因为血管内静水压增高或血管内胶体渗透压降低。

Often, the biggest challenge is distinguishing between a transudative and exudative effusion, and the key difference is the amount of protein in the effusion - exudates have much more!

而最大的挑战经常是辨别漏出液与渗出液，关键的不同点是液体里的蛋白质总量：渗出液中的含量更多！

Small transudative pleural effusions resulting from heart failure may be treated with diuretics and sodium restriction, whereas larger pleural effusions due to an oncologic process might require draining with a tube.

对于心力衰竭形成的少量漏出液，可给利尿剂及限制钠盐摄入，而对于由肿瘤侵犯胸膜导致的大量胸腔积液，则可能需要插管引流。