n. the presence of air and fluid in the pleural cavity. If the patient is shaken the fluid makes a splashing sound (called a succussion splash). An *effusion of serous fluid commonly complicates a *pneumothorax, and must be drained.
n. pus and gas or air in the *pleural cavity. The condition can arise if gas is produced by gas-forming bacteria as part of an *empyema or if air is introduced during attempts to drain the pus from an empyema. Alternatively a *hydropneumothorax may become infected.... pyopneumothorax
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