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What Causes Recurrent Ascites While Treating Pancreatic Cancer?
i am a nurse practitioner with a patient who has pancreatic cancer...she continues to get ascites. Her last paracentesis was last week on thursday. I am scheduling one for the first part of next week. Is there any rule as to how often you can do these; she is on hospice, so this would be for her comfort only. thanks is there any harm in doing these every other week or so if she is very distended and firm and in pain?
Mon, 22 Jul 2019
Hi,
As you may know the spread of cancer of pancreas to the abdominal contents, the greater omentum cause secretion of the serum fluid into the abdominal cavity causing ascites.
This is not treatable if the cancer is not.
The tightness caused by ascites causes discomfort, difficulty in breathing and so on.
Hence it is needed to do removal of the fluid by a process called paracentesis.
This gives relief for some time at least.
Although the problem is that the patient loses the more important proteins which otherwise is a third space loss.
Some medications may help to reduce the rate of fluid as well as the medications active against cancer which the oncologist can give.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. T Chandrakant, General Surgeon
As you may know the spread of cancer of pancreas to the abdominal contents, the greater omentum cause secretion of the serum fluid into the abdominal cavity causing ascites.
This is not treatable if the cancer is not.
The tightness caused by ascites causes discomfort, difficulty in breathing and so on.
Hence it is needed to do removal of the fluid by a process called paracentesis.
This gives relief for some time at least.
Although the problem is that the patient loses the more important proteins which otherwise is a third space loss.
Some medications may help to reduce the rate of fluid as well as the medications active against cancer which the oncologist can give.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. T Chandrakant, General Surgeon
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