We will soon begin repaving the main driveway outside the Yawkey, Menino, and Moakley buildings. Weather permitting, driveway closures are scheduled for the following weekends, from Friday at 8 p.m. through Sunday at 8 p.m., on the following dates: Sept. 19-21, Sept. 26-28, Oct. 17-19, and Oct. 24-26. 

Access Changes During Construction:

Pedestrian Access: Patients and visitors will be able to enter Moakley through the entrance on East Concord Street.    

Vehicle Access: Vehicular traffic should use the designated drop-off and pick-up area on East Concord Street or the 710 Albany Street Garage. Signage will indicate where metered parking has been blocked off to create a drop-off/pick-up zone (on E. Concord between Harrison and the Moakley side entrance). 

Learn more about our campus redesign. 

Thoracentesis is a way of removing air or excess fluid from the space around your lungs, called the pleural space.

Fluid can build up inside the pleural cavity due to congestive heart failure, infections, cancer, autoimmune diseases, or other reasons. Thoracentesis allows a doctor to remove some of the fluid so that they can see what's causing your condition. Removing some of the fluid can also help relieve symptoms.

Your doctor will use an ultrasound to see where the fluid is, then insert a needle into the correct location. A catheter will be placed to help drain the fluid.