A surgical puncture of the intestinal wall, usually performed to remove fluid or tissue for diagnosis or treatment.
From 'entero-' (intestine) + 'centesis' (puncture). The '-centesis' suffix comes from Greek 'kentesis' (puncturing), as in amniocentesis or paracentesis.
The '-centesis' suffix appears in dozens of medical procedures—anesthesiologists use epidural centesis, cardiologists use pericardiocentesis—it's a precise medical action that means 'insert a needle to puncture and aspirate.'
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