Today our topic of discussion is Procedure of Abdominal Paracentesis.
Procedure of Abdominal Paracentesis
Procedure
- Wash hands thoroughly.
- Position in Fowlers: This causes the fluid in the abdominal cavity to accumulate in the lower abdomen through gravity pull.
- Assist the doctor in cleaning the site and giving local anesthesia.
- Local anesthesia: 2% lignocaine is infiltrated into the skin, subcutaneous tissue, muscles and peritoneum .
- Assist the doctor by providing towels and other required items.
- Watch the vital signs and condition of the patient .
- Wrap the binder tightly around the waist as fluid escapes. This prevents sudden change in pressure. Rapid change in pressure causes distention of abdominal veins, reducing blood in the heart. This may cause heart failure.
- Collect the required amount in a pint measure or bucke…
- Usually a pint to one liter of fluid is removed. Avoid rapid removal of floid. Sudden withdrawal of a large quantity of fluid at one setting may change the intra-abdominal pressure।
- After finishing withdrawal of fluid, seal the puncture wound with tincture benzoin and cover with a pad to prevent leakage of fluid.
Post-procedure Care
- Apply abdominal binder tightly from top to bottom. It helps maintain intra-abdominal pressure।
- Monitor the patient’s general condition. Any change in the color, pulse, respiration and blood pressure should be reported immediatel…
- Examine the dressing at the puncture site frequently for any leakage, reinforce the dressing if leakage is present.
- Provide analgesics, if there is pain.
- The specimen collected should be sent to the laboratory with labels and a requisition form Replace the articles after cleaning।
- Wash hands thoroughly Record the procedure in the nurse’s record sheet.
Complications
- Precipitation of hepatic coma ।
- Fainting, if large amount of fluid is removed too rapidly.
- This can be prevented by applying abdominal bind…
- Peritonitis।
- Perforation of viscous ।
- Depletion of proteins.
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