Which procedure is a surgical puncture to remove fluid from a joint?

• A. Arthrocentesis
• B. Aspiration
• C. Auscultation
• D. Albumin test

Answer: (A)

The key idea is identifying the procedure that specifically involves puncturing a joint to withdraw fluid. This is arthrocentesis, a sterile needle puncture into the joint space to collect synovial fluid for analysis or to relieve excess fluid. While the term aspiration can describe drawing fluid from various body spaces, arthrocentesis is the precise name for puncturing a joint. The other options aren’t about removing joint fluid: auscultation is listening to internal sounds, and an albumin test is a blood test to measure a protein in the blood.