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Digestive system
Digestive system
Peritoneal sample
Peritoneal sample


Abdominal tap

Alternative Names:
Peritoneal tap; Paracentesis

What the risks are:

There is a slight chance of the needle puncturing the bowel, bladder, or a blood vessel in the abdomen. If a large quantity of fluid is removed, there is a slight risk of lowered blood pressure. There is also a slight chance of infection.




Review Date: 11/10/2004
Reviewed By: Christian Stone, M.D., Division of Gastroenterology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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