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Analysis of Ascetic Fluid for Cytological and Biochemical Findingsx

Abstract

Ascites is a common clinical finding with a wide range of causes. Ascites refers to collection of excess fluid in the peritoneal cavity. It is clinically important to classify ascitic fluid into transudates and exudates because it is indicative of the underlying pathological process involved. The present study aims at evaluating the pathological findings in Transudative and Exudative ascites. This study is based on the evaluation of 250 ascitic fluid specimens which were received in department of pathology from various clinical departments in Rajindra Hospital Patiala. Detailed examination – physical, cytological, biochemical and microbiological (wherever indicated) was done. Results were compiled after careful examination. The most common clinical cause of ascitic fluid effusion as ascertained after examining 250 ascitic fluid specimens was liver cirrhosis (43.6%) followed by tuberculosis (24.4%). Most of the cases of tubercular (22.4%), malignant (4.8%) and acute infective ascites (10.4%) had pH < 7 while most of cases of cirrhotic ascites (27.6%) had pH >7. By smear examination, 42% were cirrhotic, 34.8% inflammatory, 8.4% cardiac and renal, 4.8% malignant and 10% were inconclusive. Most of the inflammatory cases were due to tuberculosis (70.1%). Most of malignant cases had primary in ovary (41.6%). The total protein content of ascitic fluid was significantly lower in cirrhotic cases as compared to tubercular, acute infective cases and malignant cases. Cirrhosis of liver is the most common cause of ascites while malignancy being the least common.

Vijay Kumar Bodal*, Preeti Banasal, Manjit Singh Bal, Anil Kumar Suri, Ranjeev Bhagat, Navneet Kaur, Mohanveer Kaur, and Anikita Goel

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