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Understanding Ascites: Why Is This Treatment Crucial for Patients with Cirrhosis?
Ascites is a common medical condition, especially in people with cirrhosis. This condition often causes abdominal distension and discomfort, further affecting the patient's quality of life. The formation of ascites is due to hemodynamic changes caused by liver disease, and an effective method to treat ascites is paracentesis. This simple medical procedure can effectively reduce abdominal pressure, improve the patient's quality of life, and is also important in diagnosing potential complications.
"The purpose of puncture and drainage is to help patients relieve the discomfort caused by ascites and provide necessary fluid analysis."
Necessity of puncture and drainage
The primary purpose of drainage is to remove excess fluid from the abdominal cavity, especially in people with ascites due to cirrhosis of the liver. Draining ascites not only relieves the patient's symptoms, but also helps doctors better understand the patient's condition. What's more, the procedure can help diagnose more serious health problems, such as spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, internal bleeding from cancer or trauma.
“For patients with liver cirrhosis, timely puncture and drainage can effectively reduce the risk of a series of complications.”
Ultrasound-guided puncture and drainage
With the development of medical technology, it has become standard practice to use ultrasound technology to assist puncture and drainage. Ultrasound technology can be used to accurately locate the location of fluid in the abdominal cavity and reduce the risk of unnecessary complications. During this process, doctors usually select a relatively safe location for puncture after confirming the presence of liquid, and guide the entry of the needle to avoid puncture errors or damage to important abdominal blood vessels.
The process of puncture and drainage
Before undergoing aspiration and drainage, the patient will initially need to empty the bladder to reduce disruption to the procedure. The patient is usually placed in a comatose position with the upper body elevated so that fluid can easily collect in the lower abdomen. The doctor will clean the puncture site with an antiseptic solution and numb the area.
"Puncture procedures usually do not require general anesthesia, and most patients are discharged from the hospital within a few hours."
Precautions after puncture and drainage
After puncture and drainage is completed, the patient needs to be observed for a period of time to ensure that there is no bleeding or other complications. Generally, the treatment process is relatively safe, but you still need to be aware of possible risks such as infection, bleeding, and intestinal perforation. If the amount of drainage exceeds a certain level, your doctor may recommend intravenous albumin to prevent hypotension.
The significance of liquid analysis
Fluid samples collected during the puncture and drainage process will be used for further analysis to determine the cause of the ascites. The color of the fluid and the white blood cell count can alert doctors to potential infection, cancer or other internal problems. Through these analyses, doctors can develop more targeted treatment plans for patients.
Taboos of puncture and drainage
Although this is a relatively safe procedure, there are some contraindications, such as acute abdominal pathology, where it should be avoided. In addition, pregnant women, bladder distension, abdominal skin infection, etc. may also increase the risk of puncture.
Conclusion
In summary, puncture and drainage, as an effective method to relieve ascites, is crucial for patients with cirrhosis. Not only is this a treatment, it can also help doctors detect other potential complications early. With the continuous advancement of medical technology, the safety and effectiveness of puncture and drainage have been further guaranteed. So, how much do you know about other treatments related to cirrhosis?
