Cirrhosis is irreversible damage to the cells in the liver from scarring. Cirrhosis can be caused by hepatitis C infection, alcoholism or metabolic disorders. Ascites, fluid accumulation in the abdomen and lower extremities, is one of the serious...
Ascites refers to an accumulation of excess fluid in the peritoneal cavity, or the space between the tissues lining the abdomen and abdominal organs. Several medical conditions can contribute to the development of ascites, but it most often...
Cancer and its treatment may cause a myriad of side effects and complications, including the buildup of fluid in certain areas of the body. Fluid buildup may have many different causes, and once the cause is established, treatment can occur. If an...
Liver problems, such as cirrhosis, are complicated by a condition known as ascites. Ascites is a condition whereby fluid backs up from the liver and starts to accumulate in your abdomen, often making it difficult to move. One of the treatments for...
The liver is a vital organ that is essential to human vitality and health. It helps to digest food, rid toxic substances and absorb vital nutrients that the body needs for survival. Some people are born with liver problems while others damage...
Ascites is a condition characterized by fluid accumulation in the space between the internal organs and the wall of the abdomen, called the peritoneum or peritoneal cavity. Symptoms include a distended abdomen, difficulty breathing and a feeling...
Cirrhosis of the liver kills 25,000 people in the United States each year and is the 11th leading cause of death, the American Gastroenterological Association reported in 2007. A liver transplant, which entails the removal of the diseased liver...
The abdomen has a large space (called the periotoneal cavity) that can sometimes become filled with fluid, resulting in a condition known as ascites. Ascites are typically a sign of a more serious underlying medical disorder, such as liver or...
The liver is a vital organ of the human body and is essential for survival. It is located on the right side of the body near the abdomen. The liver breaks down fat in the bloodstream, converts glucose to glycogen, helps produce urea for generating...
If your cirrhosis is caused by alcohol abuse, it is extremely important to stop drinking to avoid further liver damage. If you can't stop your alcohol use on your own, ask your doctor to recommend a chemical-dependency treatment center. Your...
The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse declares that 4.1 million Americans are affected with hepatitis C, a deadly virus of the liver that is transmitted through blood. There is no cure for hepatitis C. According to...
Cirrhosis is a debilitating and potentially fatal medical problem in which your liver becomes infiltrated with scars. According to the Mayo Clinic, its cause includes excessive alcohol consumption, hepatitis B or C (liver infections), excessive...
Ovarian cancer is cancer that begins in the ovaries, the reproductive glands in women that produce eggs. Although ovarian cancer may be diagnosed at any stage, the American Cancer Society states that less than 20 percent of all ovarian cancers are...
Ascites is the accumulation of extra fluid within the abdominal cavity, specifically between the thin lining protecting the abdominal organs and the abdominal wall. According to Hepatitis Central, an educational website devoted to hepatitis C...
End stage liver disease occurs when the liver has sustained severe damage, usually over the course of many years, and is in the process of failing completely. Alcohol abuse and infection with the hepatitis C virus are the two leading causes of...
Ascites is defined as the accumulation of fluid within the abdominal cavity. Ascites is a complication of health problems such as liver cirrhosis, abdominal trauma, cancer of organs within the abdominal cavity, health conditions that cause...
Ascites is an abnormal accumulation of fluid on the abdomen. Around 80 percent of people with ascites have cirrhosis of the liver, Glen Hastings, M.D., of the University of Kansas Wichita School of Medicine states. Heart failure, kidney disease,...
The carotid artery carries blood from the heart to the head and brain. There are two carotid arteries, one on each side of the neck. Over time, carotid arteries can become clogged with plaque as a result of coronary artery disease. Blockage of the...
The liver is a large organ located on the upper right side of the abdomen. It is responsible for many things including detoxifying chemicals ingested in food, storing sugar for use in the body, making proteins, helping the blood to clot correctly,...
Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that develops in the tissues lining the heart, or the pericardium, in the lining of the abdomen, or the peritoneum, or around the lungs, or the pleura. The three types of mesothelioma are known as percardial,...
Ascites is a condition where fluid builds up in the abdomen and may result in swelling, chest pain and shortness of breath. The main cause for ascites is cirrhosis of the liver, notes Drugs.com. The website adds that ascites may also be caused by...
Ovarian cancer is the deadliest of all gynecologic cancers, according to the American Cancer Society, and the fifth most common cause of cancer deaths in women. With fewer than 20 percent of ovarian cancer cases caught before they spread past the...
MedlinePlus says that ascites refers to a collection of fluid that seeps into the tissues between the stomach lining and its cavity (peritoneal cavity). Certain underlying medical problems can, unfortunately, lead to ascites. Some of these...
The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute estimates that approximately 5.7 million Americans have heart failure, and about 300,000 people die per year from this condition. Congestive cardiac or heart "failure" does not mean that your heart...
Lymph is usually a clear fluid. However, in vessels leading off of the intestines it may appear milky white owing to the presence of absorbed fats. Chylous ascites, also known as chyloperitoneum, is a condition in which this fatty fluid collects...
Alcoholism destroys the liver by replacing normal liver tissue with fibrotic tissue, which can't perform normal liver functions. When enough of the liver turns fibrotic, the liver can no longer carry out its extensive duties, which include...
Drinking a glass of alcohol with each meal is no cause for concern until the consumption of alcohol becomes excessive. According to MedlinePlus, alcoholism develops when a person develops a physical and psychological addiction to the drink....
A common complaint in patients with liver problems is a sensation of fullness or bloating within the abdomen. This sensation results from increased water retention within the membranous lining of the abdominal tissue known as ascites, according to...
The last stage of liver failure, cirrhosis, usually develops over a number of years-- although acute liver failure can occur. Cirrhosis can be compensated--meaning that the liver retains enough function to perform vital processes--or...
