American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) Grading Criteria for a Pleural Space Infection

The American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) reported criteria for grading a pleural space infection.

Patient selection: leukocytosis, fever and chest pain with positive culture of pleural fluid (or other objective evidence of infection)

Parameters:

(1) key findings

(2) additional findings

Key Findings	Additional Findings	Grade
retained hemothorax or pleural effusion	no loculations, non-purulent, no lung trapping	I
purulent, free-flowing pleural effusion or hemothorax	no loculations, purulent, no lung trapping	II
loculated areas with fibrino-purulence	loculation, purulent, limited lung trapping	III
organized with restriction on lung expansion	loculation, diffuse lung trapping (decreased lung volumes)	IV
spontaneous external drainage OR extrathoracic necrotizing soft tissue infection	NA	V

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