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Doctor insights on: Pain From A Thoracentesis Procedure

Varies: That's actually a very complicated question to answer due to lack of price transparency in healthcare. It differs based on your insurance status, level of thoracentesis (image guided, need for pigtail, etc.). CMS reimburses physicians about $50 - $100 for each of these, but you may get billed for much more ($200-$400) depending on insurance (+ facility fee) ...Read more

Chest x-ray: No fluid (or less fluid) on chest x-ray and no sign of pneumothorax (punctured lung.). ...Read more

Depends: You probably mean decrease INR with vitamin k. So without knowing details at all, I would say that it probably depends upon how urgent it is. Maybe they want the INR to drift down on it's own and then try. You can certainly discuss this more ...Read more

Thoracentesis: Thoracentesis is a procedure that allows removal of fluid from the pleural space (the space between the lungs and the rib cage). Normally there should be little or no fluid there. If fluid does accumulate a physician can insert a needle between the ribs (under local anesthesia) and drain some or all of the fluid. The fluid can then be tested to see what caused its accumulation. ...Read more

Procedure: Medical procedure used to remove excessive fluid from the lungs. It can be done to relieve pressure, improve oxygenation and decrease symptoms such as shortness of breath or chest pain or can be done to evaluate fluid to rule out cancer, TB etc. ...Read more

Fluid drain fm chest: When there is fluid between the chest wall and the lung, it may be drained for diagnostic of therapeutic purposes using a needle and an evacuated jar. ...Read more

Yes: This is usually done with a little local anesthesia +/- a very little sedation. ...Read more

Remove pleural fluid: When a patient has fluid around the lungs, sometimes we need to find out what caused it, other times we want to remove the fluid so the patient can breath easier. It takes place under sterile conditions by placing a needle into the chest wall from the back and connecting the needle with a catheter to a suction bottle which collects the fluid. Fluid is then sent for testing. ...Read more

Depends: There are a number of potential complications assoc w/ a thoracentesis. That being said, most of the time the procedure is safe. It is not unusual for patients to experience pain related to the needle placement through the plueral suface which is just outside the lung. Please check with your doctor that nothing more serious is going on, particularly if you have difficult breathing. ...Read more

Unlikely: That is very unlikely. A collapsed lung (pneumothorax) is the most common complication. ...Read more

Not necessarily: Only when large collection of fluid accumulates. ...Read more

See below: Thoracentesis is when fluid is removed from the space between your lung and the chest wall with a needle - usually done to relieve pressure, or send a culture.
Bronchoscopy is done to look inside your airways with a camera (bronchoscope). It is done for numerous reasons: clean up secretions, look at anatomy, investigate tumors, obtain biopsies, and others. ...Read more

Not really: If pleurisy is associated with pleural effusion and symptoms warrant then it should be tapped. ...Read more

Procedures: Thoracentesis is done to draw out fluid if there is accumulation of fluid between the lining of the lung and the chest wall. Bronchoscopy is done to look inside the airways in the lungs as in looking for tumor, bleeding, diagnose infections and sometimes in treatment as in bronchoplasty and stent placement. ...Read more

Pancreas: To try and determine where is has or is coming from. Amylase may be a sign that that there is a problem with the pancreas nad although rare may be foind in thoracentesis fluid. ...Read more

Doctor: Usually your doctor makes the decision. Follow up with them. ...Read more

Pleurisy, no: But pleural effusions usually should be investigated by a thoracentesis unless the cause is obviously heart failure. Even then, an initial thoracentesis should be done to confirm the cause. If you argue that not all effusions require a thoracentesis, then I need to know if you'll defend me if/when I get sued for missing an empyema or mesothelioma. ...Read more

Several: Infection, bleeding. Collapsed lung---treat cause of recurrent fluid in the chest. ...Read more

Posterolateral: Today most thoracentesis is ultrasound guided to avoid injury to lungs, liver or other structures. It is typically done along the posterior axillary line, intercostal space is primarily determined by location of pleural fluid. ...Read more

Yes: A doctor will usually want a few simple blood tests to make sure you do not have some potential for bleeding prior to a thoracentesis. It depends a lot on what medications you are currently taking, especailly blood thinning medications and your general level of health at the time of the thoracentesis. A protime test and a blood count are typical tests to do prior. ...Read more

Evaluate cause: A thoracentesis involves removing fluid from the pleural cavity. Laboratory values obtained from the fluid may enable a doctor to determine the cause of the fluid accumulation. Amylase present in the fluid could mean either pancreatitis or, more rarely, esophageal perforation. Glucose<40mg/dl, possible infection, >40mg/dl probably not infectious. ...Read more

Yes: A chest xray is needed after a thoracentesis to make sure a pneumonthorax has not developed. A pneumothorax is a very serious complication of a thoracentesis. Chest X-rays do pose a small risk of developing lung cancer. You can read more about that small risk here http://www. Radiologyinfo. Org/en/safety/? pg=sfty_xray ...Read more

Cancer & infections: A few possible causes of increased pleural fluid amylase level are cancer, pancreatitis, liver cirrhosis and tuberculous infection. Cancer is more commonly and is more likely with high amylase level. Pleural fluid glucose helps in certain infections from noninfectious causes of pleural effusions. ...Read more

Thoracentesis: Have you told the doctor who did the thoracentesis on you about your symptoms? These symptoms could be very serious. ...Read more

Cause and effect: Pleural effusion is fluid in the chest cavity, in excess of what is normally there. This is due to an imbalance of production and absorption. Thoracentesis is drainage of that fluid by placing a needle in the chest. This removes the fluid for diagnosis and therapy. ...Read more

Fluid/procedure: Pleural effusion is accumulation of fluid in the thoracic cavity, usually surrounding the lung. Thoracenthesis is the procedure to remove the fluid from the thoracic cavity, or removing the pleural effusion. ...Read more

They're related: Pleural effusion: fluid in the space around your lung
thoracentesis: procedure in which an effusion is drained by placing a catheter between the ribs into the space around the lung. ...Read more

Can be: Need to identify the cause.
If heart failure, treat the problem.
If infection, treat the problem.
If cancer, treat the problem.
Some need tubes, some need internal drainage, etc
respective thoracentesis has some risks.
Pneumothorax, infection, and may not completely drain.
Can be diagnostic so it is a good help many times. ...Read more

Seems a lot: Do you have evidence of volume overload elsewhere? Such as lower extremity swelling, fluid accumulation in the abdomen. I worry about congestive heart failure. Pleural effusions (fluid outside the lungs in the chest) are commonbut 4 liters seems excessive. Usually walking pneumonia does not have effusions. Bacterial pneumonia is more commonly associated. Make surer the fld was sent for study. ...Read more

Dx vs. Treatment: A pleural effusion in fluid within the chest space, usually, outside of the lung itself. A thoracentesis is a procedure where a needle is passed through the chest wall, into the fluid, and then drains the fluid out of the chest space. Sometimes, this procedure can cause a collapsed lung. ...Read more