The Mesothelioma SOS Glossary - Aspiration

Aspiration is a medical term referring to the process of drawing in or out of the lungs using suction. While aspiration can refer to breathing a foreign object into the airway (such as sucking foods or fluids into the airway), it is more commonly associated with the process of removing harmful substances from different cavities in the body.

In the body, the right main bronchus is more vertical and slightly wider than the left. Therefore, foreign material is more likely to end up in the right bronchus or other areas in close immediacy to the right bronchus. Additionally, even a small amount of aspirated material can cause chronic infection. Although the body does have reflexes, such as coughing and gagging, to prevent pulmonary aspiration, substances such as asbestos are nearly impossible for the lungs to expel and become embedded in the lung tissue. As fluids and foreign substances build up in the lungs, the condition becomes more severe. In patients with severe pulmonary aspiration, doctors recommend the best intervention is to lay a patient on his or her side in “rescue position”. This way, any vomit or fluids can be drained out of the victim’s mouth, rather than down their pharynx.

Aspiration procedures to remove harmful substances can include fine needle biopsy, or the removal of bone fragments, air, and body fluids. Fine needle biopsy is commonly associated with patients who have mesothelioma. The needle can be inserted to remove lung fluid and tissue without having an open surgical biopsy.