Table 5. Number of Effusions That Met Our Standard for Safe Supine Thoracentesis in Each Effusion Group, According to the Estimated Volume of Pleural Effusiona.
| Estimated Pleural Fluid, mL | No. of Effusions | Lateral | Posterolateral | Posterior | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CCD | DPE | Both | CCD | DPE | Both | CCD | DPE | Both | ||
| ≤ 200 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| > 200, ≤ 300 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| > 300, ≤ 400 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| > 400, ≤ 500 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| > 500, ≤ 600 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| > 600, ≤ 700 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| > 700, ≤ 900 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| > 900, ≤ 1100 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| > 1100 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
aBoth, No. of effusions with craniocaudal distance > 5 cm and maximal depth > 1 cm at the same time; CCD, No. of effusions with craniocaudal distance > 5 cm; DPE, No. of effusions with maximal depth > 1 cm.