ABSTRACT
This chapter considers all the patient's symptoms and all the information available to doctors and assesses the symptoms, signs and information given using this to choose the appropriate remedies for the problem, and offers extra information where available and appropriate. The healthy adult has about 50 ml of fluid in the abdominal cavity, with a turnover of about 5 ml per hour. The protein content is about 25% of that in the plasma. There are a number of questions that should be asked in order to determine the cause and the impact of the abdominal distension on the patient's quality of life. If patients have ankle swelling as well as abdominal swelling, offer a diuretic in preference to paracentesis. Consider the value of complementary therapies to improve comfort, and do not forget about how body image and sexuality may be affected by having ascites.
