Physico-chemical properties of the liquid from the serous cavities

Fluid research produced by a test cut or puncture. Collect it in a clean, dry, if necessary, in a sterile container. In order to prevent clotting in the test liquid is added 5 % sodium citrate (2-5 Ml on 100 ml of liquid) or simply rinsed sodium citrate vessel wall, in which the liquid is collected.

All the resulting liquid is delivered to the laboratory and immediately begin to study it:

• determine the physical and chemical properties of the liquid;
• conducted a microscopic examination of native and stained preparations.

If necessary, the direct microscopic and bacteriological examination.

Serous fluid transudate and transparent, lemon yellow, other types of serous fluid is cloudy, its color depends on the nature.

Transudate from exudate different relative density (determined urometrom) and protein.

Relative density transudate - From 1,002 to 1,015, exudate - 1,018 and higher.

The concentration of protein in the serous fluid It is determined by samples with sulfosalicylic acid, based on, that the intensity is proportional to the turbidity of serous fluid protein content.

The exudates contained by 30 to 80 g / L protein, in transsudate-by 5 to 10 g / l.

In the absence of appropriate reagents and equipment level of the protein in the serous fluid can be determined by method Brandberga- Roberts-STOLNIK, t. it is. same, in urine, replaced with the nitric acid reagent Larionova. When using this method is subject to errors in the results, as a result of a significant content of serous fluid protein you need it in the breeding 1000 times or more. This method requires precise dilution, Use dry pipettes and test tubes or washing their test liquid, strict accounting of the time of appearance of the ring.

To differentiation of transudate and exudate, especially in those cases, When the relative density and protein content can not determine with certainty the form of serous fluid, used reaction Rivalta. It is positive to the exudate and is based on the content of serozomutsina. To place a reaction narrow cylinder of 100-200 ml is filled with water, added two to three drops of glacial acetic acid and stirred. Then, the resulting weak solution of acetic acid pipetted one or two drops of the test liquid and monitor on a black background when a cloud oblachkovidnogo, resembling cigarette smoke. The exudate blurred as lowering drops increases and reaches the bottom of the cylinder, and transudate slight cloudiness dissipates and vanishes, before reaching the bottom of the cylinder.

The reaction of serous fluid determined using universal indicator paper, usually it is slightly alkaline.