Bedside USG-Guided Paracentesis - A Technical Note for Beginners

Paracentesis is a routinely performed low-risk daycare procedure most commonly performed in patients with cirrhosis. Although uncommon, devastating bleeding complications may occur, particularly in patients with coagulopathy. Hence to avoid any such complication, it is important for the intervention radiologists, as well as clinicians, particularly beginners, to have basic knowledge of the major anterior abdominal wall arteries, their course, and their sonographic appearance. Here, we briefly describe the relevant abdominal wall anatomy and sonographic planes to use for paracentesis.