A patient has a thoracentesis for dyspnea caused by a pleural effusion. The physician obtains 1,000 mL of fluid. Which of the following indicates that the thoracentesis has been effective?
a. The patient states that the dyspnea has lessened.
b. The fluid is sent to the laboratory in a timely manner.
c. No cancer cells are found in the fluid.
d. No bleeding at the site is noted.
ANS: A
Pleural fluid can crowd the lungs and make breathing difficult. Removal of the fluid often results in relief of dyspnea. Timely delivery of the specimen, bleeding at the site, and laboratory results are all important but do not measure the effectiveness of the procedure.
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