Etymed
thoracentesis
Definition
surgical puncture of the pleural cavity in the chest for removal of fluid or air
Clinical context
A 65-year-old man presents to the emergency department with shortness of breath and pleuritic chest pain. A chest X-ray reveals a large left-sided pleural effusion. The patient is scheduled for thoracentesis to both diagnose the cause of the effusion and provide symptomatic relief. During the procedure, 1.5 liters of bloody fluid is removed with minimal discomfort. The fluid analysis reveals malignant cells on cytology.
Mnemonic
TIP for thoracentesis: Thoracentesis is a procedure to remove fluid or air from the pleural cavity, which is the space between the lungs and chest wall.