What is ascites edema

They stimulate your kidneys to remove sodium and water from your body, so you'll urinate more often and get rid of extra fluid. But diuretics can have possible dangerous side effects. Talk to your doctor to learn more about this if you are prescribed diuretics for swelling or edema. Ascites is excess fluid buildup in the belly abdomen because of pressure from tumors.

It can make the belly hard and swollen distended. It can also cause umbilical or inguinal hernias. Certain steps to help you avoid cirrhosis of the liver and cancer can prevent ascites. These include:. Be sure to follow your healthcare provider's advice for lowering your salt intake. You'll need to do this even if you're taking diuretic drugs to reduce fluid in your body. Also, weigh yourself daily and call your healthcare provider if you gain too much weight. Health Home Conditions and Diseases.

What causes ascites? What are the symptoms of ascites? These are symptoms of ascites: Swelling in the abdomen Weight gain Sense of fullness Bloating Sense of heaviness Nausea or indigestion Vomiting Swelling in the lower legs Shortness of breath Hemorrhoids How is ascites diagnosed? You may also have tests such as: Fluid sample. A sample of fluid from your abdomen may be taken using a needle. This fluid will be checked for signs of disease, such as cancer or an infection.

This test may help point to the cause of the ascites. Your healthcare provider may request images of the inside of your abdomen using ultrasound, MRI, or a CT scan. An MRI creates images using a magnetic field and radiofrequency energy. A doctor may diagnose ascites when more than 25 milliliters mL of fluid builds up inside the abdomen.

When the liver malfunctions, fluid fills the space between the abdominal lining and the organs. Ascites is the most common complication of cirrhosis scarring of the liver , according to clinical guidelines published in the Journal of Hepatology.

It affects around 60 percent of people with cirrhosis within 10 years of their diagnosis, and the 2-year survival rate is 50 percent. Liver damage, or cirrhosis , accounts for around 80 percent of ascites cases, according to research.

In fact, it is the single biggest risk factor for ascites. Some people have hemorrhagic ascites. This is when blood is present in the fluid. It can happen if you have liver cancer or blood in lymph fluid. The risk of developing cirrhosis is higher if you have:. Cirrhotic ascites develops when blood pressure in the portal vein — the blood vessel that carries blood from the digestive organs to the liver — becomes too high.

As the pressure rises, kidney function worsens and fluid builds up in the abdomen. As the liver struggles to manage this fluid, it is forced into the abdominal cavity, resulting in ascites. Some cancers can also lead to ascites. In peritoneal cancer, tumor cells in the peritoneum the lining of your abdomen that covers your abdominal organs produce a proteinous fluid, which can become ascites. If you have heart or kidney failure, the blood volume in your arteries may fall.

These, too, can form ascites. There are also other symptoms that are specific to cancer, heart failure, advanced cirrhosis, or other underlying conditions. Diagnosing ascites takes multiple steps. The swollen abdomen puts pressure on the stomach, sometimes leading to loss of appetite, and pressure on the lungs, sometimes leading to shortness of breath.

In some people with ascites, the ankles swell because excess fluid accumulates there causing edema Swelling Swelling is due to excess fluid in the tissues.

The fluid is predominantly water. Swelling may be widespread or confined to a single limb or part of a limb. Swelling is often in the feet and Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis infection of the ascitic fluid that develops for no apparent reason sometimes occurs. This infection is common among people with ascites and cirrhosis Cirrhosis of the Liver Cirrhosis is the widespread distortion of the liver's internal structure that occurs when a large amount of normal liver tissue is permanently replaced with nonfunctioning scar tissue.

If spontaneous bacterial peritonitis develops, people usually have abdominal discomfort, and the abdomen may feel tender. People may have a fever and feel generally unwell. They may become confused, disoriented, and drowsy. Untreated, this infection can be fatal. Survival depends on early treatment with appropriate antibiotics. When a doctor taps percusses the abdomen, the fluid makes a dull sound. If the person's abdomen is swollen because the intestines are distended with gas, the tapping makes a hollow sound.

However, a doctor may not be able to detect ascitic fluid unless the volume is about a quart or more. If doctors are uncertain whether ascites is present or what is causing it, they may do ultrasonography or computed tomography CT; see Imaging Tests of the Liver and Gallbladder Imaging Tests of the Liver and Gallbladder Imaging tests of the liver, gallbladder, and biliary tract include ultrasonography, radionuclide scanning, computed tomography CT , magnetic resonance imaging MRI , endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography In addition, a small sample of ascitic fluid can be withdrawn by inserting a needle through the wall of the abdomen—a procedure called diagnostic paracentesis Paracentesis Paracentesis is the insertion of a needle into the abdominal cavity for the removal of fluid.

Normally, the abdominal cavity contains only a small amount of fluid. However, fluid can accumulate Laboratory analysis of the fluid can help determine the cause.