Ascites is an accumulation of excess fluid in the abdomen, which is most often a complication of liver diseases - cirrhosis with hypertension. It appears suddenly or develops gradually, over several months, accompanied by flatulence and an increase in the abdomen. But ascites can also occur in ovarian cancer.
Ascites should not be called liver disease. This is absolutely wrong. However, this disease almost always appears as a result of severe liver diseases, for example, cirrhosis. Thus, according to the statistics of doctors, ascites are also found in half of patients with cirrhosis for more than ten years. If you develop ascites with cirrhosis of the liver, then this may indicate a severe course of the disease and even a risk of an imminent death. Half of these patients die within two years of identifying a complication. Experts cannot yet determine exactly why these two diseases are so closely related.
Why and where does the liquid come from? How does the condition of the kidneys affect the whole process? Unfortunately, this phenomenon is poorly studied. If the appearance of such a symptom in patients with heart diseases has been studied quite well, schemes have been developed for the treatment and maintenance of such patients, then in case you develop ascites with cirrhosis, it's completely different.
In general, it is known that with the appearance of cirrhosis of the liver, abduction of lymphatic fluid and venous blood becomes worse, which contributes to the appearance of congestion. With cirrhosis, there is almost always hypertension, which is also associated with fluid stagnation. The blood supply to the kidneys and their work are also deteriorating. It is the appearance of problems with the kidneys and the accumulation of sodium salts in the body that can serve as a starting point for ascites to develop. With this pathology, it is desirable to limit oneself in the liquid (no more than one liter per day).
Now let's talk a little about the treatment of this disease. Of course, it is no secret to anyone that the treatment of any disease, first of all, involves the elimination of the root cause that provoked it. Therefore, if you develop ascites with cirrhosis, then the treatment of pathology begins, first of all, with the main disease. To reduce ascites, doctors prescribe diuretic drugs, and also take some special measures aimed at stabilizing failures in water-salt metabolism and reducing hypertension.
If you develop ascites with cirrhosis, but for some time its treatment does not give the desired result, then specialists can suggest removing excess fluid by puncture in the abdominal cavity. This procedure is called laparocentesis. It is carried out exclusively after the preliminary release of the bladder, which is carried out in a sitting position of the patient. Do not be afraid, you will certainly be given all the required antiseptic and aseptic drugs that will help you much easier to transfer this, not very pleasant, procedure.
Puncture is done with a special device called a trocar. Puncture with this device is most often performed along the center line of the abdomen. It is very important that the very first puncture be done successfully, because in the case of the following punctures, the patient may experience inflammation of the peritoneum or fusion of the omentum and intestines with the anterior abdominal wall.
It happens that the treatment of ascites in cirrhosis of the liver also occurs in a surgical way, but this happens only in extremely difficult cases. This operation is called omentohepatofrenopexy and is prescribed only in case of severe portal hypertension.