Thoracentesis is a procedure to remove fluid from the space between the lining of the outside of the lungs (pleura) and the wall of the chest.
Alternative Names
Pleural fluid aspiration; Pleural tap
How the Test is Performed
The test is done in the following way:
You sit on a bed or on the edge of a chair or bed. Your head and arms rest on a table.
The skin around the procedure site is cleaned. A local numbing medicine (anesthetic) is injected into the skin.
A needle is placed through the skin and muscles of the chest wall into the space around the lungs, called the pleural space. The health care provider will likely use ultrasound to find the best spot to insert the needle.
You may be asked to hold your breath or breathe out during the procedure.
You should not cough, breathe deeply, or move during the test to avoid injury to the lung.
No special preparation is needed before the test. A chest x-ray or ultrasound will be done before and after the test.
How the Test will Feel
You will feel a stinging sensation when the local anesthetic is injected. You may feel pain or pressure when the needle is inserted into the pleural space.
A chest x-ray or ultrasound is commonly done after the procedure to detect possible complications.
References
Blok BK. Thoracentesis. In: Roberts JR, Custalow CB, Thomsen TW, eds. Roberts and Hedges' Clinical Procedures in Emergency Medicine and Acute Care. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019:chap 9.
Ruhl TS, Good JL. Thoracentesis. In: Fowler GC, Choby BA, Iyengar D, et al, eds. Pfenninger and Fowler's Procedures for Primary Care. 4th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 218.
Review Date:
7/31/2022
Reviewed By:
Denis Hadjiliadis, MD, MHS, Paul F. Harron, Jr. Professor of Medicine, Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.