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Placement of a thoracentesis needle

In thoracentesis, the doctor removes fluid from the space between the lungs and the chest wall (the pleural cavity). The doctor inserts a needle (and sometimes a plastic catheter) through the chest wall to remove and examine the fluid.

By Healthwise Staff
Primary Medical Reviewer E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer Robert L. Cowie, MB, FCP(SA), MD, MSc, MFOM - Pulmonology
Last Revised July 29, 2009

WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise

Last Updated: July 29, 2009
This information is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information.
© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.

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