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4) Persistent leak at the puncture site
Around 1% of patients develop a leak of liquid at the site of the procedure. This complication is more common in the case of tense ascites (when the condition was very severe and the volume of liquid was very large).
Some methods have been developed to reduce the risk of fluid leaks after paracentesis, and one of them is known as the Z-tract method. Doctors would change the position of the needle in each layer of the abdominal wall to prevent alignment of the punctures in each layer and reduce the risk of leakage. Adhesive glue and other implements can also be used in such cases.
References
McGibbon, A., Chen, G. I., Peltekian, K. M., & Van Zanten, S. V. (2007). An evidence-based manual for abdominal paracentesis. Digestive diseases and sciences, 52(12), 3307-3315.
