Aspiration means the withdrawal of ?uid or gases from the natural cavities of the body or from cavities produced by disease. It may be performed for curative purposes; alternatively, a small amount of ?uid may be drawn o? for diagnosis of its nature or origin. An instrument called an aspirator is used to remove blood and ?uid from a surgical-operation site – for example, the abdomen or the mouth (in dentistry).

PLEURISY with e?usion is a condition requiring aspiration, and a litre or more of ?uid may be drawn o? by an aspirator or a large syringe and needle. Chronic abscesses and tuberculous joints may call for its use, the operation being done with a small syringe and hollow needle. PERICARDITIS with e?usion is another condition in which aspiration is sometimes performed. The spinal canal is aspirated by the operation of LUMBAR PUNCTURE. In children the ventricles of the brain are sometimes similarly relieved from excess of ?uid by piercing the fontanelle (soft spot) on the infant’s head. (See HYDROCEPHALUS.)... aspiration

Also called a ventouse. The idea of the glass suction cup applied to the emerging head of the baby to assist in delivery was ?rst considered by Younge in 1706, but it was not until 1954 that the modern (ventouse) vacuum extractor was introduced. The value of the ventouse as against the FORCEPS has been disputed in di?erent clinics, the former being less popular in the UK. Indications are similar for the use of obstetric forceps. Even if the OCCIPUT is not in the anterior position, the extractor may still be applied; many obstetricians would choose forceps or perform manual rotation of the fetus in such cases.

In cases of prolongation of the ?rst stage of labour, the ventouse may be used to accelerate dilatation of the cervix – provided that the cervix is already su?ciently dilated to allow application of the cup. The ventouse cannot be applied to the breech or face; in urgent cases of fetal distress the operation takes too long, and forceps delivery is preferred. There is some doubt about its safety when used on premature babies; many obstetricians feel that forceps delivery reduces the risk of intracranial haemorrhage. The vacuum extractor, while resulting in a slower delivery than when forceps are used, has a lower risk of damage to the mother’s birth canal. (See PREGNANCY AND LABOUR – Some complications of labour.)... vacuum extractor

Herbal Manual

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... herbal manual

Published 1970 by the Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Hunan Province, China, to supply its barefoot doctors with a basic guide in their work of serving the rural population (“. . . because they worked in the paddy fields like any other commune member, barefooted and with trouser legs rolled up, they were given the name ‘barefoot doctors’ ” (Pekin Review, 1977)). ... barefoot doctor’s manual

See biopsy.... needle aspiration

An obstetric procedure to facilitate the delivery of a baby. It may be used if the second stage of labour (see childbirth) is prolonged, if the mother becomes exhausted, or if the baby shows signs of fetal distress. Vacuum suction techniques are also used to perform early abortions.

The vacuum extraction instrument consists of a suction cup connected to a vacuum bottle. The suction cup is placed on the baby’s head in the birth canal, and the vacuum machine sucks the baby’s scalp into the cup. The obstetrician draws the baby out of the mother’s vagina by gently pulling on the cup with each uterine contraction.

The baby is born with a swelling on the scalp, but this disappears after a few days, usually without treatment.... vacuum extraction

the *aspiration of specimens of cells from tumours or cysts through a hollow needle, using a syringe, and their subsequent examination under the microscope after suitable preparation (by staining, etc.). The technique is now used widely, especially for superficial cysts or tumours, and has become a specialized branch of diagnostic pathology. See also fine-needle aspiration cytology.... aspiration cytology

see DSM.... diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders

(FNA cytology) a technique in which a thin hollow needle is inserted into a mass to extract a tissue sample for microscopic examination. It is useful for detecting the presence of malignant cells, particularly in lumps of the breast and thyroid. See also aspiration cytology.... fine-needle aspiration cytology

a series of therapeutic movements, using massage, developed to enhance lymph drainage, alleviate swelling, and improve wound healing.... manual lymphatic drainage

a condition occurring during childbirth in which the baby inhales meconium into the lungs during delivery. This can cause plugs in the airways and the baby may become short of oxygen (hypoxic). Treatment is to assist breathing if necessary, with physiotherapy and antibiotics.... meconium aspiration

see MESA.... microsurgical epididymal sperm aspiration

see PESA.... percutaneous epididymal sperm aspiration

the removal by suction of the products of conception to terminate a pregnancy or evacuate the uterus following miscarriage. Carried out under local anaesthetic up to the 12th week of pregnancy, it uses a hand-held syringe (manual vacuum aspiration, MVA) or an electric pump (electric vacuum aspiration, EVA) to create suction.... vacuum aspiration