Paracentesis
The removal of fluid from a body cavity via a needle, a trocar, a cannula, or another hollow instrument. A paracentesis may be used for diagnosis or treatment, as, for example, in ascites, where there is free fluid in the abdominal (peritoneal) cavity. If the cause of the ascites is uncertain, diagnostic paracentesis is done in order to obtain fluid that can be examined. Therapeutic paracentesis may then be done to remove more fluid, as part of the plan of treatment. Paracentesis of the chest cavity is called a thoracentesis.
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Infection with the trematode (parasitic worm) Paragonimus. More than 10 species of trematodes (flukes) of the genus Paragonimus infect humans, the most common being Paragonimus westermani, the oriental lung fluke. While P. westermani occurs in the Far East, other species of Paragonimus are encountered in Asia, the Americas, and Africa. Human infection with P. westermani […]
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Occurring at the time of and in association with an acute infection or an episode of infection. For example, transverse myelitis (a disorder of the spinal cord) can occur parainfectiously in association with a number of viral and bacterial illnesses.
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