Aspireren

Aspireren is a Dutch verb meaning to draw in a liquid, gas or air by suction, or to remove material by suction with a needle or syringe. The term is used in several domains, most prominently in medicine, but also in phonetics and respiratory contexts.

In medical practice, aspireren refers to the act of obtaining a sample or draining contents by suction. This includes aspiration of fluid from a cyst or pleural effusion, aspiration of an abscess, and various procedures known as fine-needle aspiration (FNA), or in Dutch “fijne-Naald-aspiratie.” Procedures are typically guided by imaging (ultrasound or CT) and may require local anesthesia. The obtained material is analyzed cytologically or microbiologically to aid diagnosis. Risks include infection, bleeding, and, depending on the site, pneumothorax or injury to nearby structures.

In the context of respiration, aspireren can describe inhaling food, liquid or other substances into the airways; the term for this is often “aspiratie.” Aspiration of foreign material can lead to pneumonia, particularly in people with impaired swallowing, reduced consciousness, or neurologic disorders. Prevention focuses on safe swallowing techniques and proper feeding posture.

Etymologically, the verb derives from Latin aspirare ‘to blow upon, to breathe on,’ via French aspirer, and into Dutch with the -eren suffix. The related noun aspiratie denotes the act or result of aspiration.