Pancreatic pleural effusion masquerading as right sided tubercular pleural effusion

Abstract

Pleural effusion is easily diagnosed often managed optimally with standard protocols. It at times, is a diagnostic dilemma as it comes with big list of differential diagnosis. Pleural effusion due to pancreaticopleural fistula (PPF) is a rare and on right side is even rarer. Detailed history along with high index of suspicion in required to diagnose PPF, which is confirmed by increased level of pleural fluid amylase and lipase along with magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) or endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) demonstrating fistula tract. Here we report the case of a young patient who presented with respiratory distress and was wrongly diagnosed as right sided tubercular effusion which later turned out to be pancreatic effusion. Management in our case was multi-disciplinary involving pulmonologist, gastroenterologist, radiologist and thoracic surgeon.

Keywords

• Pancreatic-pleural fistula
• VATS
• ERCP