Pericardiocentesis

Pericardiocentesis (pair-ick-arr-dee-oh-sen-tee-sis) is a procedure that involves draining fluid from around your heart. It’s often an emergency treatment for cardiac tamponade, a life-threatening condition that can stop your heart.

This procedure involves inserting a needle into your chest until the tip of the needle is inside your pericardium. Once there, providers can use the needle to drain fluid directly or place a drain that can remove fluid slowly over time.