The most common cause of Ascites is a liver condition called cirrhosis. When the liver is damaged due to any cause, it tries to adapt till the insult to the liver reaches a stage where the destruction to the liver tissue is irreversible. The liver becomes lumpy and is filled with scar tissue. Over time, the liver becomes a nodular, shrunken mass which loses its function and is called a cirrhotic liver.Blood is carried from the digestive tract to the liver via the portal vein. This flow is is hampered in cirrhosis, as a result of which a condition called portal hypertension occurs.
In certain cancers and in tuberculosis, ascitic fluid is present in the abdominal cavity as a result of involvement of the peritoneum or the lining of the abdomen by the disease process. The liver can be normal in these situations.
Complications of Ascites include infection, kidney failure, hepatic encephalopathy, hernias and pleural effusion.
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