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Definition:
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Pericardiocentesis is a procedure that uses a needle to remove fluid from the pericardial sac, the tissue that surrounds the heart.
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Alternative Names:
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Pericardial tap; Percutaneous pericardiocentesis
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How to prepare for the test:
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You may not be able to eat or drink for 6 hours before the test. You must sign a consent form.
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How the test will feel:
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You may feel pressure as the needle enters. Some people have chest pain, which may require pain medication.
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Why the test is performed:
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This test may be done to remove and examine fluid that is pressing on the heart. It is usually done to evaluate the cause of a chronic or recurrent pericardial effusion.
It may also be done to treat cardiac tamponade.
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Normal Values:
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There is normally a small amount of clear, straw-colored fluid in the pericardial space.
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What the risks are:
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- Bleeding
- Collapsed lung
- Heart attack
- Infection (pericarditis)
- Irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias)
- Puncture of the heart muscle, coronary artery, lung, liver, or stomach
- Pneumopericardium (air in the pericardial sac)
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References:
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LeWinter MM, Tischler MD. Pericardial diseases. In: Bonow RO, Mann DL, Zipes DP, Libby P, eds. Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2011:chap75.
Little WC, Oh JK. Pericardial diseases. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Cecil Medicine. 24th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders Elsevier; 2011:chap 77.
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