pulmonary disorders
How To Do Thoracentesis
Aftercare for Thoracentesis
Sometimes imaging (usually chest x-ray or ultrasonography) to exclude pneumothorax Analgesia with oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) oracetaminophenif needed Advise patients to report any shortness of breath or chest pain; coughing is common after fluid removal and not a cause for concern. It has been standard practice to obtain a chest x-ray after thoracentesis to rule out pneumothorax, document the extent of fluid removal, and view lung fields previously obscured by fluid, but evidence suggests that routine chest x-ray is not necessary in asymptomatic patients. Pneumothorax can also be excluded by the presence of lung sliding on multiple interspaces on ultrasonography, but ultrasonography is also not necessary routinely ( References ). Post-procedural chest imaging is needed for any of the following: The patient is ventilated Air was aspirated The needle was passed more than once Symptoms or signs of pneumothorax develop 