Alternate Names: Pleural fluid aspiration; Pleural tap

How Performed:

A small area of skin on your chest or back is washed with a sterilizing solution. Some numbing medicine (local anesthetic) is injected in this area. A needle is then placed through the skin of the chest wall into the space around the lungs called the pleural space. A syringe is used to withdraw any fluid which can be sent to a laboratory for analysis (pleural fluid analysis).

How To Prepare: No special preparation is needed before the procedure. A chest X-ray is may be performed before and after the test. Do not cough, breathe deeply, or move during the test to avoid injury to the lung.

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:

• infant test or procedure preparation (birth to 1 year)
• toddler test or procedure preparation (1 to 3 years)
• preschooler test or procedure preparation (3 to 6 years)
• schoolage test or procedure preparation (6 to 12 years)
• adolescent test or procedure preparation (12 to 18 years)

How It Feels:

You will be positioned lying in bed or sitting on the edge of a chair or bed with your head and arms resting on a table. The skin around the procedure 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 pleural space.

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 or chest pain.

Risks:

The risks are pneumothorax (collapse of the lung), fluid re-accumulation, pulmonary edema, bleeding, infection, and respiratory distress.

Why 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, cancer, heart failure, cirrhosis, and kidney disease. 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:

• hemothorax
• pulmonary veno-occlusive disease
• pancreatitis
• pulmonary embolism
• thyroid disease
• collagen-vascular disease
• asbestos related pleural effusion
• drug reactions

Cost:

Special Considerations:

A chest X-ray is often done after the procedure to detect possible complications.