Paracentesis is a medical procedure that doctors perform to drain fluid from a person’s abdominal cavity. It is sometimes called an abdominal tap. Doctors refer to this buildup of fluid as ascites, ...

A paracentesis procedure drains excess fluid (ascites) from the abdomen, a common symptom of peritoneal mesothelioma. Doctors can analyze the fluid to diagnose the cause of the buildup, or they may ...