Aspiration

What is aspiration?

Aspiration is the use of suction to remove fluid or other types of tissue from within the body. Your doctor examines the aspirated fluid or tissue to diagnose many types of diseases and disorders. An aspiration can be performed in almost any body area or organ, generally using a needle and syringe to withdraw the fluid or cells. Aspiration may also be used as a treatment for excessive or infected fluid in a joint or body cavity, such as the abdomen.

Aspiration is only one method used to diagnose or treat a variety of diseases, disorders and conditions. You should discuss different testing and treatment options with your doctor or healthcare provider to best understand which option is right for you.

Types of aspiration

Common types of aspiration include:

• Abdominal tap (abdominal paracentesis) is the removal of fluid from the space around the abdomen. An abdominal tap is used to find the reason for fluid buildup in the abdomen (ascites) and to drain excessive fluid in the abdomen. Abdominal tap can also help diagnose infection (peritonitis) or may be used after traumatic injury to look for bleeding.
• Amniocentesis is the removal of amniotic fluid from a pregnant uterus in order to diagnose certain fetal or uterine conditions. These include anemia, infections, genetic abnormalities, a low amount of amniotic fluid, or to determine if a baby’s lungs are developed enough for birth.
• Arthrocentesis is the removal of synovial fluid from a joint to determine the cause of swelling (effusion). Arthrocentesis may also be used as a treatment to relieve joint pain by injecting medications or removing excessive or infected fluid from a joint.
• Aspiration of a lump, cyst, tumor or mass can be performed in or on almost any organ or body area to test it for infection, cancer, or other problem. Examples include the breast, liver, neck or pancreas. Drainage of the fluid from a cyst is a common example of aspiration treatment.
• Bone marrow aspiration and biopsy is the removal of bone narrow from the inside of a bone to test the production of healthy red blood cells. It may be ordered to help diagnose leukemia and other cancers and evaluate cancer treatment. Bone marrow aspiration and biopsy can also aid in the diagnosis of certain chromosomal abnormalities and the cause of anemia or fever that has not been diagnosed with less invasive testing.
• Lumbar puncture (spinal tap) is the removal of fluid from the spine to test for infections and inflammatory diseases of the spine and nervous system. Lumbar puncture can also be used for the injection of certain medications, such as antibiotics and chemotherapy.
• Thoracentesis (pleural tap) is the removal of fluid from the space around the lungs. It is used to find the reason for fluid buildup in this area (pleural effusion) and to drain excessive fluid to make breathing easier. Thoracentesis can also help diagnose an infection in the lung space (empyema).

Other procedures that may be performed

In addition to an aspiration, your doctor may also recommend one or more additional procedures to diagnose or treat certain conditions. The following procedures may be performed during aspiration:

• Medication injection, which involves injecting medication, such as an anesthetic or a steroid, into the area being aspirated, often a joint. Medications are often injected to help relieve pain or swelling and inflammation.
• Tissue biopsy in which involves examining the removed fluid or other tissues for infection, malignancy (cancer) and other disease.

Why is aspiration performed?

Your doctor may perform an aspiration to diagnose and possibly treat many types of diseases and conditions including:

• Abdominal conditions, such as abdominal trauma, abdominal infection (peritonitis), and cancer or liver disease that leads to ascites (fluid buildup in the abdomen)
• Bone marrow conditions, such as leukemia and metastasis (spread) of a variety of cancers, certain chromosomal abnormalities, and anemia or fever that has not been diagnosed with less invasive testing
• Brain and spinal cord conditions, such meningitis, multiple sclerosis, and cancer
• Joint conditions, such as arthritis, gout, joint injury, inflammation or infection of a joint, and joint effusion (accumulation of fluid in the joint)
• Lumps, cysts, tumors or masses. Aspiration is used to diagnose and possibly treat these conditions.
• Lung conditions, such as fluid buildup in the space around the lungs (pleural effusion) and infection in the lung space (empyema)
• Pregnancy and fetal conditions, such as fetal or uterine infection, genetic abnormalities, and a low amount of amniotic fluid. Other conditions include fetal anemia due to Rh incompatibility (incompatibility of the mother and baby’s blood types) or to determine if a baby’s lungs are developed enough for premature delivery.