Risks of the procedure
The general risks associated with any type of puncture include bleeding, infection and injury to organs, nerves or blood vessels. In addition, the puncture site can also cause severe pain. These risks vary depending on where the puncture is performed.
In the case of a superficial puncture such as taking blood from a vein in the arm, the risks are very low. If, on the other hand, a deeper lying organ such as the spleen or a kidney has to be punctured, the risk of injury to structures on the puncture route in particular increases. In addition, there is a risk of malignant cells being carried away during puncture.
Similarly, if the area is inflamed, the pathogens can spread through the procedure. Further special risks are, for example, an injury of the lung pleura during a pulmonary puncture which can lead to a collapse of the lung wing, which usually requires treatment. The attending physician will inform the patient about all possible risks and answer questions before the puncture. You can find more information about pain after a puncture here.
Duration of a puncture
How long a puncture takes depends on how complex it is and how easy it is to reach the puncture site. A normal blood collection only takes a few minutes. An organ puncture of the lungs or spleen, for example, is more complex and therefore takes longer. In the case of such punctures, the patient is informed in advance about the expected duration. Factors such as difficult anatomical conditions can considerably extend the time required.
Costs
The range for the costs of a puncture is very wide due to the many differences in the extent and complexity of the procedure. A puncture is usually only performed when medically justified and is then usually fully covered by health insurance. An exception is blood sampling, which is performed at the request of the patient to determine laboratory values.
In this case the patient has to pay the costs himself. How high these costs are depends mainly on which values are to be determined. The patient can obtain information about the respective costs from the doctor in advance.
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