2-Ascites
Ascites is a condition characterized by the accumulation of fluid in the abdomen, specifically within the peritoneal cavity. Although ascites is very often associated with liver disease, it is also frequently caused by kidney, heart, pancreatic, and stomach cancer. The exact mechanisms behind the development of this harmful build-up of fluid involve an increase in hydrostatic capillary pressure.
Patients suffering from ascites will invariably experience a variety of symptoms, the severity of which will depend on the amount of fluid accumulated. When fluid build-up is mild to moderate ascites may produce no symptoms at all. In more severe cases patients may retain up to 10 liters of fluid and experience a drastic decrease in urinary volume, edema, abdominal discomfort, back pain, fatigue, shortness of breath, dramatic alteration of the intestinal rhythm, and in some cases, fever.