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arthrocentesis

arthrocentesis

1 9.8
To remove fluid from a joint with a needle to find out what is wrong or to treat it
  • noun
  • /ˌɑrθroʊsənˈtiːsɪs/
  • Specialized
: artrocentesis
  • She felt immediate relief after the arthrocentesis was completed successfully.

Examples

  • The doctor performed an arthrocentesis to analyze the fluid in the patient's knee joint.

  • The patient had an arthrocentesis done that revealed WBC of 38,100 #/cmm.

    Academic text (2007)
  • After the arthrocentesis, the lab results showed signs of infection in the joint.

How Invasive

arthroplasty
  • Specialized
1 9.1
arthroscopy
  • Specialized
1 7.4
arthrocentesis
  • Specialized
1 9.8
injection
183 2.7
physical
  • US
89 3.2

Surface Forms

arthrocentesis singular

Morphology

arthrocentesis = arthro + centesis (opaque) = arthro + centesis

The components 'arthro-' (joint) and '-centesis' (puncture to remove fluid) combine predictably for readers with medical knowledge, but they are bound combining forms rather than standalone English words.

Etymology

Arthrocentesis combines arthro- meaning 'joint' (the same root in arthritis) and -centesis meaning 'to puncture and draw out fluid'. So, arthrocentesis is a medical procedure where a doctor uses a needle to remove fluid from a joint.