Pericardiocentesis

What is pericardiocentesis?

Pericardiocentesis is a procedure performed to drain fluid from all around the heart. Usually, it is an emergency treatment option for cardiac tamponade. It is a life-threatening condition causing the heart to stop. The procedure is followed by inserting a needle into the chest until the needle reaches the pericardium. Once the doctor reaches the location, needle insertion is done to drain fluid gradually. If you are looking for expert care, you can consult our Cardiac Surgeon in Kolkata for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Pericardiocentesis is helpful in draining fluid across the heart and diagnosing the additional fluid. There are conditions that might raise the need for pericardial effusion such as:

  • Heart or pericardial sac infection 
  • Immune system illness
  • Radiation 
  • Cancer
  • Drugs reactions 
  • Metabolic causes such as kidney failure with uremia 
  • Injury

There are different causes for fluid amalgamation that are not known. Pericardiocentesis is not the only way to remove the fluid, however, it is recommended as it is less invasive than traditional surgery. There are times when doctors prefer draining the fluid surgically. It is often performed in people with chronic fluid inflammation or build-up, for those who require removal of the pericardium part, and for people with certain attributes of fluid.

FAQs

The fifth left intercostal space close to the sternal margin is the site to perform pericardiocentesis 

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