Cirrhosis is the main cause of ascites, a condition where the abdominal cavity fills with fluid, causing pain and discomfort. Ascites is usually easier to cure than cirrhosis, but complications can arise when the two occur together. Treatment options include paracentesis and long-term management with a special diet, diuretic drugs, and liver transplantation.
The relationship between cirrhosis and ascites is primarily causal; cirrhosis, which is a liver problem, is the main cause of ascites, a condition that causes the abdominal cavity to fill with fluid and become painfully distended. There are a number of reasons people might develop ascites, but experts typically say about 65 percent of cases are directly related to advancing cirrhosis. In fact, often cirrhosis isn’t even detected or diagnosed until a patient presents with a distended, painful stomach. Both conditions can be very serious and there tend to be more complications when the two occur together. In general, ascites is usually much easier to cure than cirrhosis, but a lot depends on how advanced the problems are and how well patients respond to treatment.
Understand cirrhosis in general
Cirrhosis is a condition in which the tissues of the liver, one of the body’s most important organs, become so scarred that they cannot perform their filtration role properly or at all. In healthy people, the liver processes blood, creates bile for digestion, and filters toxins from the body. Alcohol and most drugs are generally considered “toxins” and in moderate or occasional amounts are harmless. Repeated exposure, as often experienced by alcoholics and drug addicts, can lead to scarring of the liver’s surface as the organ struggles to keep up. Over time, these scars become more ingrained and more numerous until the majority of the organ is scar tissue rather than healthy, functioning tissue.
Once cirrhosis sets in, the liver usually begins to fail. It is this failure that commonly leads to the fluid buildup known as ascites.
Basics of ascites
Any fluid in the abdominal cavity is generally known as “ascites,” and the name is more indicative of a state of being than any definite condition or disease. Abdominal fluid buildup almost always has a cause, which is to say, it’s abnormal and won’t happen on its own. It can be caused by several diseases, including heart failure, viral infections, and various types of cancer, but cirrhosis is the most common.
In these cases, fluid usually builds up as liver function deteriorates and the pressure in the veins that pass through that organ increases. The result is that fluid seeps or leaks from the surface of the liver into the abdominal cavity, where it collects. Edema, the accumulation of fluid in the feet or legs, can also accompany cirrhosis and ascites.
Small amounts of fluid are usually not noticed by the patient. Larger volumes often cause the patient to feel bloated or full in the abdomen, however, which is usually associated with pain and insomnia, among other symptoms. The presence of ascites is usually confirmed through imaging tests such as ultrasound or computed tomography (CT).
Complications when the two occur together
While both conditions can be quite serious, experiencing them together usually exacerbates a patient’s problems. The increase in intra-abdominal pressure from the buildup of ascites can lead to abdominal pain or discomfort, decreased appetite, and infection, all of which can put pressure on the already inflamed liver and, in turn, can cause the liver to deteriorate more rapidly. ‘organ. Large-volume ascites accumulation can also result in a hepatic hydrothorax in which ascites enters the chest and accumulates between the chest and lung in the pleural space. The resulting condition, known as a pleural effusion, can cause the patient to experience difficulty breathing or shortness of breath.
Care and treatment options
Short-term treatment of hepatic ascites in cases of large volume ascites may involve paracentesis. Paracentesis is a procedure that involves inserting a needle into the abdomen to withdraw accumulated abdominal fluid. While this may provide immediate relief from some of the discomfort and complications associated with abdominal fluid buildup, it usually doesn’t prevent it from recurring, particularly if the cause, such as cirrhosis, is still in full force. Long-term treatment of cirrhosis and ascites may include a special diet, the use of diuretic drugs to reduce ascites and edema, and, in more extreme cases, liver transplantation.
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