A puncture consists of inserting a needle or something similar into the body.
Puncture is a word whose etymological root is found in the Latin punctĭo . This word, in turn, derives from the verb pungere , which can be translated as "prick" or "prick."
The idea of puncture is usually used in medicine to name the practice of introducing a needle or a similar instrument into the body .
What a puncture allows is to extract a liquid from the body . This fluid is then analyzed to make a diagnosis and to determine what treatment to follow according to the condition in question.
lumbar puncture
Lumbar puncture , for example, is performed to obtain cerebrospinal fluid . This practice is used to diagnose meningitis , hydrocephalus , multiple sclerosis , and other disorders.
Those who undergo a puncture of this type must not only remain lying down for a few hours after it but must also wait at least 48 hours to be able to know the results obtained with the samples.
It is important to know that this practice, which is essential in many cases and is generally very safe, brings with it a series of minimal and specific risks. Specifically, these include headaches, hemorrhages, injuries to the spinal cord, infections of various kinds and even pain in the back area.
Puncture is a common medical practice.
Other practices
Ovarian puncture , for its part, is performed on the ovarian follicles to achieve egg retrieval. With the eggs already extracted, it is possible to perform in vitro fertilization and start assisted reproduction treatment. This puncture is carried out in an operating room, usually using local anesthesia to reduce discomfort to the patient.
In the same way, there is also the so-called abdominal puncture , which is what is performed in the so-called abdominal cavity to be able to extract fluid from it and thus be able to know if the person in question is suffering from an infection or has excess fluid. But not only that, with this test and its pertinent results it can be detected if the patient suffers from liver cirrhosis, some type of kidney disease, a pathology that is affecting the pancreas or even a tumor. This last test is also known as peritoneal puncture or paracentesis .
All this without overlooking the breast or biopsy puncture , which is what allows us to obtain small samples of breast tissue. The objective of having these is to be able to diagnose if the woman has nodules or microcalcifiations, for example.
More punctures
The emergency procedure to allow a person to breathe in certain cases is known as emergency airway puncture . The doctor will make an incision in the larynx when, due to inflammation or obstruction, the subject cannot breathe normally and it is not possible to use an endotracheal tube.
The digital puncture , finally, consists of pricking a finger to extract a blood sample from its tip. After discarding the first drop due to its possible contamination with other fluids, the following drops of blood are collected to carry out different studies.