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Thoracentesis How the Test is Performed:
The thoracic wall is punctured by a needle and fluid is aspirated and analyzed in the laboratory ( pleural fluid analysis ).
How to Prepare:
Do not cough , breathe deeply, or move during the test to avoid injury to the lung. A chest X-ray may be performed before and/or after the test.
Infants and children:
The physical and psychological preparation you can provide for this or any test or procedure depends on your child's age, interests, previous experience, and level of trust. For specific information regarding how you can prepare your child, see the following topics as they correspond to your child's age:
How it Feels:
You will be positioned sitting on the edge of a chair or bed with your head and arms resting on a table. The skin around the insertion site is disinfected and the area is draped. A local anesthetic is injected into the skin. The thoracentesis needle is inserted above the rib into the pocket of fluid. There will be a stinging sensation when the local anesthetic is injected, and a sensation of pressure when the needle is inserted into the pleural space. Inform your health care provider if you develop shortness of breath .
Risks:
The risks are pneumothorax ( collapse of the lung ), fluid re accumulation, pulmonary edema , bleeding , infection, and respiratory distress.
Why this Test is Performed:
The test is performed to determine the cause of the fluid accumulation or to relieve the symptoms associated with the fluid accumulation.
Normal Values:
Normally the pleural cavity contains less than 20 milliliters of serous fluid.
Abnormal Results:
The analysis of the fluid will indicate possible causes of pleural effusion such as infection, pulmonary hypertension , neoplasms, heart failure , cirrhosis . If infection is suspected, a culture of the fluid is often done to determine the presence of microorganisms.
Additional conditions under which the test may be performed:
Cost:
The estimated cost is $430.
Special Considerations:
A chest X-ray is often done after the procedure to detect possible complications.
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