THORACENTESIS

Course overview

THORACENTESIS IS A PROCEDURE THAT IS PERFORMED TO REMOVE FLUID FROM THE THORACIC CAVITY. THIS CAN BE DONE FOR BOTH DIAGNOSTIC AND THERAPEUTIC PURPOSES. A POTENTIAL SPACE EXISTS IN THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE OF THE CHEST CAVITY BETWEEN THE INNER CHEST WALL AND LUNG. IN HEALTHY INDIVIDUALS, A TRACE AMOUNT OF FLUID IS FOUND IN THIS SPACE AND PROVIDES LUBRICATION BETWEEN THE LUNG PARENCHYMA AND MUSCULOSKELETAL STRUCTURES OF THE RIB-CAGE DURING EXPANSION AND RECOIL. HOWEVER, EXCESS FLUID IS PATHOLOGICAL. THE VOLUME OF EXCESSIVE FLUID, THE RATE OF ACCUMULATION, THE CELLULAR CONTENT OF THE FLUID, AND THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF THE FLUID ARE ALL USED TO GUIDE THE MANAGEMENT AND THE DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS OF THE UNDERLYING ETIOLOGY. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE INDICATIONS, CONTRAINDICATIONS, AND TECHNIQUES INVOLVED IN PERFORMING THORACOCENTESIS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE CARE OF PATIENTS UNDERGOING THIS PROCEDURE.