When excess fluid accumulates in the abdominal cavity, ascites is diagnosed, the causes of the onset of the disease lie in other pathological conditions of the patient. Inside the abdominal cavity there is always a small amount of liquid. It is necessary for loops of the small and large intestines to slide freely and not to weld together. Gradually, all the liquid is absorbed by internal tissues, then the water secretion function again produces an ultrafiltrate of the plasma, so the process goes in cycles, normally the amount of liquid should not exceed 1.5 liters.
Sometimes a clear and smooth mechanism of the cycle breaks down: the amount of accumulated ultrafiltrate increases at times. The liquid inflates the stomach, it becomes like a round ball. Ascites develop, the causes of which are always different. There are several factors that can provoke the described ailment. This is:
- Excessive tone of the portal vein. It occurs when hepatic tumors or any other benign neoplasms are formed in the liver, when blood flow in the large blood vessels of the liver is disturbed, when cirrhosis develops. Cirrhosis reduces the colloidal blood pressure. Hepatic cells in this case are replaced by scar tissue, as a result, protein synthesis decreases, plasma pressure decreases, tissues and vessels begin to lose fluid, its excess accumulates in the abdominal cavity.
- Development of pathologies of the pericardium sac. Coronary artery disease and pericarditis also often become causes of ascites of the abdominal cavity. As a result of these diseases, the increased pressure inside the veins in the liver and in the peritoneum develops. This leads to an increase in plasma ultrafiltrate.
- Severe diseases of the peritoneum. Most often, the cause of hydrocephaly is the development of mesothelioma, tuberculosis, the appearance of metastasis in the colon, in the stomach, in the ovaries( in women).The affected shell begins to produce more fluids, but it can not absorb it, since the lymph drainage is blocked.
- Diseases of the kidneys. Often, the causes of ascites are the last stages of renal failure or development of a nephrotic syndrome.
- Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Pancreatitis, Crohn's disease, significant protein losses, lymphoagiectasia of the intestine, chronic diarrhea can also provoke ascites, the causes and treatment are directly related to each other. Therapy is performed taking into account the elimination of factors that provoke a describing pathology.
Causes of ascites in children
Children also often develop the described disease, the causes of ascites of the abdominal cavity largely depend on the age of the baby.
In newborns, for example, ascites of the abdominal cavity appears due to hemolytic disease. Immunological conflict between the mother and the fetus after the birth of the child continues and is accompanied by various complications: hydrocephalus is one of them.
Often the causes of hydrocephalus lie in the infectious diseases suffered during pregnancy. If the mother, being in an interesting situation, had rubella, listeriosis, syphilis, hepatitis or toxoplasmosis, the child can be born with the presence of the described pathology.
In children up to three years, the causes of ascites become mainly liver diseases, most often pathology occurs when a child is diagnosed with a congenital neurotic syndrome.
When ascites is diagnosed, the causes of its occurrence become the starting point for its treatment. Eliminating the factor-provocateur, you can achieve favorable forecasts.