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Ascites (/ ə ˈ s aɪ t i z /; [5] Greek: ἀσκός, romanized: askos, meaning "bag" or "sac" [6]) is the abnormal build-up of fluid in the abdomen. [1] Technically, it is more than 25 ml of fluid in the peritoneal cavity, although volumes greater than one liter may occur. [4]
The condition has no specific symptoms, as it occurs with ascites and other manifestations of increased pressure in the portal vein caused by liver disease. Pleural fluid causes symptoms far more easily than ascitic fluid, due to the lower volume of the pleural cavity as compared to the abdominal cavity.
This condition is most likely to develop secondary to congestive heart failure, following an increase in hydrostatic pressure within the lungs. More rarely, hydrothorax can develop in 10% of patients with ascites which is called hepatic hydrothorax. It is often difficult to manage in end-stage liver failure and often fails to respond to therapy.
Budd–Chiari syndrome is a very rare condition, affecting one in a million adults. [1] [2] The condition is caused by occlusion of the hepatic veins (usually due to a blood clot) that drain the liver. The symptoms are non-specific and vary widely, but it may present with the classical triad of: abdominal pain, ascites, and; liver enlargement.
Other symptoms can develop based on the cause. For example, if portal vein thrombosis develops due to liver cirrhosis , bleeding or other signs of liver disease may be present. If portal vein thrombosis develops due to pylephlebitis , signs of infection such as fever, chills, or night sweats may be present.
People with this condition often describe it as "feeling bloated". Affected people often experience a sensation of fullness, abdominal pressure, and sometimes nausea, pain, or cramping. In the most extreme cases, upward pressure on the diaphragm and lungs can also cause shortness of breath.
Causes of edema that are generalized to the whole body can cause edema in multiple organs and peripherally. For example, severe heart failure can cause pulmonary edema, pleural effusions, ascites and peripheral edema. Such severe systemic edema is called anasarca. In rare cases, a parvovirus B19 infection may cause generalized edemas. [9]
The serum-ascites albumin gradient or gap (SAAG) is a calculation used in medicine to help determine the cause of ascites. [1] The SAAG may be a better discriminant than the older method of classifying ascites fluid as a transudate versus exudate. [2] The formula is as follows: SAAG = (serum albumin) − (albumin level of ascitic fluid).