Introduction

• Diagnosis and therapeutic removal of free peritoneal fluid.

Uses

• Diagnosis of cause of free peritoneal fluid either palpated or visualized on radiograph.
• Diagnosis of cause of acute abdomen, eg in cases of ruptured urinary Bladder: trauma rupture or biliary tracts.
• Therapeutic removal of ascitic fluid in cases refractory to diet or drug treatments.
• Preliminary step to diagnostic peritoneal lavage.

Advantages

• Simple.
• Minimally invasive.
• Performed in conscious, standing animal.
• Positive result likely to aid diagnosis.

Disadvantages

• Limited sensitivity (50%) because of frequent false negative results.
• Mobility of abdominal contents means needle susceptible to occlusion.

Requirements

Preparation

Procedure

Aftercare

Outcomes

Further Reading

Publications

Refereed papers

• Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.
• Crowe D T, Crane S W (1976) Diagnostic abdominal paracentesis and lavage in the evaluation of abdominal injuries in dogs and cats - clinical and experimental investigations. JAVMA 168 (8), 700-705 PubMed.
• Barrett R P (1975) A new method of abdominal and thoracic paracentesis in the dog and cat. Vet Med Small Anim Clin 70 (1), 76+78 PubMed.
• Scott R C, Wilkins R J, Greens R W (1974) Abdominal paracentesis and cystocentesis. Vet Clin North Am 4 (2), 413-417 PubMed.