Are there any risks or complications? Locations Any time the skin is pierced or cut, there is Abbotsford-Regional Hospital 604-851-4866 Medical Imaging 2nd Floor, Fraser Wing, 32900 Marshall Road, Abbotsford a chance of infection. Other possible BC Cancer Agency 604-877-6000 complications include: Medical Imaging, 3rd Floor, 600 West 10th Ave, Vancouver - bleeding at the site Burnaby Hospital 604-434-4211 Medical Imaging, 3rd Floor, 3935 Kincaid St., Burnaby - an air leak into the chest cavity (called a Chilliwack General Hospital 604-795-4122 pneumothorax) Medical Imaging, Main Floor, 45600 Menholm Rd, Chilliwack Thoracentesis Jim Pattison Outpatient Care 604-533-3308 - bleeding into the chest cavity (called a and Surgery Centre Ext 63926 hemothorax) Medical Imaging, 2nd Floor, 9750 140th Street, Surrey - fluid in the lungs (called pulmonary Langley Memorial Hospital 604-533-6405 Medical Imaging, Main Floor, 22051 Fraser Highway, Langley edema) – a rare reaction to a large Lions Gate Hospital 604-984-5775 amount of fluid removed Medical Imaging, Lower Level, 231 East 15th Street, North Vancouver Peace Arch Hospital 604-531-5512 - trouble breathing Medical Imaging, Main Floor, 15521 Russell Ave, White Rock Powell River General Hospital 604-485-3282 When to get help Medical Imaging, 5000 Joyce Avenue, Powell River Call your doctor if you have: Richmond Hospital 604-278-9711 Medical Imaging, Main Floor, 7000 Westminster Hwy, Richmond Fever above 38.5°C (101°F), aches and Ridge Meadows Hospital 604-463-1800 chills Medical Imaging, Main Floor, 11666 Laity Street, Maple Ridge Fluid starts or continues to leak out from Royal Columbian Hospital 604-520-4640 Medical Imaging, Columbia Tower the needle site 330 East Columbia Street, New Westminster Go to the nearest Emergency Department St. Paul’s Hospital 604-806-8006 Medical Imaging, 2nd Floor, Providence Building if you have any of the following: 1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver Sechelt Hospital 604-885-8608 Sudden shortness of breath Medical Imaging, 5544 Sunshine Coast Hwy, Sechelt Sudden onset of chest pain Squamish Hospital 604-892-6025 Medical Imaging, 38140 Behrner Drive, Squamish Swelling at the needle site Surrey Memorial Hospital 604-588-3308 Health © Fraser Medical Imaging, 1st Floor, Lower Level, 13750 96th Avenue, Surrey UBC Hospital 604-822-7076 Medical Imaging, Main Floor, 2211 Westbrook Mall, Vancouver Follow–up Instructions/Appointment: Vancouver General Hospital 604-875-4111 HealthLinkBC 8-1-1 GI/GU Department, Jim Pattison Pavilion Ext 68612 Call any time you have any questions or concerns. HealthLinkBC Station 5, Ground Floor, 855 West 12th Avenue, Vancouver is open 24 hours. www.fraserhealth.ca – www.vch.ca Available in 130 languages. For an interpreter, say your language This information does not replace the advice given to you in English. Wait until an interpreter comes on the phone. by your healthcare provider. December 2019 FH Catalogue #264631 VCH Catalogue #FN.200.T46 What is a Thoracentesis? Can I bring a relative or friend? It is important to stay as still as possible Thoracentesis is the removal of fluid from Yes, they can stay with you before and after during the procedure. You might feel the around a lung. A build-up of fluid around the procedure. However, for reasons of urge to cough. Try not to cough too hard a lung can make breathing difficult. safety and regulations, they cannot be in the while the drainage tube is in place. Removing the fluid should help you room during the procedure. We will tell Tell us right away if you have any chest feel better. you where family members can wait. pain or shortness of breath during the There are a number of reasons for this What happens before the procedure? procedure and while the fluid is draining. fluid build-up. You might already know Our Medical Imaging Department contacts How long will it take? why this has happened or this procedure you with specific instructions on how to It takes between 30 minutes to 1 hour to might be done to help find out why the prepare for the procedure. fluid is there. complete the procedure. What happens during the procedure? Does it hurt? Why do this procedure? A nurse checks your blood pressure and It might sting or burn as the numbing Depending on how much fluid is in your heart rate, and might also ask you about medicine is injected. You should not feel chest, this procedure can: your health history. - Help make you more comfortable any pain as the needle goes in. However, You sit on the edge of a bed with your you might feel some pressure and - Make it easier for you to breathe head and arms resting on a pillow discomfort. As the fluid drains, you should To help find out why the fluid it here, supported by a table or you lie down. feel better. samples are taken and sent for testing. The radiologist uses ultrasound to locate What happens afterwards? Who does this procedure? the fluid in your chest. You stay in the hospital until your blood It is done by a radiologist (a doctor who The radiologist injects numbing pressure, heart rate, and breathing are specializes in image guided procedures). medicine to ‘freeze’ the area. normal for you. You might need to breathe Ultrasound, fluoroscopy, or CT Scanning is A special needle is then inserted into the some oxygen for a while. used to guide the radiologist to the best chest, between ribs. A drainage tube is We take a chest x-ray to check your lungs. place to take a sample of the fluid. attached to drain the fluid into a Most people go home the same day. collection container. If needed, samples are sent for testing. When will I get the results? If we collect samples of the fluid, the results You might need to arrange for a ‘responsible Once the fluid has completely drained, adult’ to take you home after this procedure. are sent to your doctor’s office within 2 the drainage tube is pulled out. We place weeks. Make an appointment with your Check with the site where you are scheduled for a pressure bandage over the needle site. your procedure. doctor to review the results. Thoracentesis over… .