paracentesis
noun
para·cen·te·sis
ˌpar-ə-(ˌ)sen-ˈtē-səs
plural paracenteses
-ˌsēz
: a surgical puncture of a bodily cavity (as of the abdomen) with a trocar, aspirator, or other instrument usually to draw off an abnormal effusion for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes
Cite this Entry
“Paracentesis.” Merriam-Webster.com Medical Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/paracentesis. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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