The mechanism by which ascites develops in cirrhosis is multifactorial Severe sinusoidal portal hypertension and hepatic insufficiency are the initial factors. They lead to a circulatory dysfunction characterized by arterial vasodilation, arterial hypotension, high cardiac output and hypervolemia and to renal sodium and water retention. There are evidences that arterial vasodilation in cirrhosi...

In a previous trial of aminometramid on 30 patients with peripheral edema, 19 became refractory to the drug. These 19 patients and another group of 16 with peripheral edema or ascites were placed on another nonmercurial diuretic aminoisometradine, which had shown promise in previous studies in animals and man. This group of 35 patients who had previously required frequent injections of mercuria...

Mediastinal cavernous lymphangioma is a rare mediastinal lesion and its association with lupus erythematosus has not yet been reported in the literature. We present a 25 year-old female with lupus erythematosus who had bilateral massive refractory and recurrent pleural effusion as well as ascites for a long period of time. During surgery, a huge multicystic lesion with a thick wall, covering th...

The creation of an intrahepatic portosystemic shunt via a transjugular approach (TIPS) is an interventional radiological procedure used to treat the complications of portal hypertension. TIPS insertion is principally indicated to prevent or arrest variceal bleeding when medical or endoscopic treatments fail, and in the management refractory ascites. This review discusses the development and exe...