champagne tap
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.75 in modern English
24
Scrabble Score
12
Letters
4
Syllables
9
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A bloodless sample of cerebrospinal fluid from a lumbar puncture (colloquially, a spinal tap).
Informal
Example Sentences
- "When the needle finally perforated the sac around the spinal column, clear fluid bubbled back through the hub. The resident congratulated me on a “champagne tap”, free of blood. We sent the fluid off to the laboratory."
- "While I can't vouch for the efficacy of this trick, anything that stacks the deck in favor of a “champagne tap” is worth a shot."
- "She told me earlier that she was looking forward to performing it and hoped for a “champagne tap”."
- "If no vessels are hit, you may obtain a ‘champagne tap’; if this clear-coloured CSF is obtained on your first ever attempt, then custom dictates that your senior should buy you a bottle of champagne to celebrate!"
Etymology
An indication of atraumaticity in the proceduralist's technique, warranting the reward of a bottle of champagne from their superior, the colour of which also matches that of the cerebrospinal fluid sample.