Ascites
The liver is such an amazing organ, yet it’s overlooked by many. It’s like the redhead stepchild that no one talks about - Life After Diagnosis
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image by: Dr Muhammad Younas Orakzai
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Michael Beckett’s story
Michael went to his GP in 2011 feeling unwell. When he was informed that he had alcohol related liver disease Michael stopped drinking immediately. However, the damage to his liver had already been done. Michael’s liver was failing to work properly and shortly afterwards he started having to undergo regular drainage of his ascites.
When patients suffer from alcohol-related liver disease or cirrhosis, the liver and kidneys stop working properly and fluid stops being exchanged within the cells in the way it should. This leads to ascites – an excess of fluid, which gathers in the abdomen.
As there is no way for this fluid to be removed from the body naturally, up to 15 litres…
Resources
I Will Still Be Your Doctor
She was hospitalized because of the rapid accumulation of fluid resulting in marked swelling of her legs (edema) and abdomen (ascites). We can chart a course of treatment for illness, but we cannot force patients to adhere. The physician’s role is to assist and to accompany patients on their journey, while always trying to chart what is presumed to be the most appropriate medical course. A healer is not a parent and a patient is not a child. There is no place for paternalism in modern medicine.
Living with Hepatitis C: Managing Ascites
There can be many reasons why a person gets ascites, including different types of cancers, congestive heart failure, kidney failure, or liver issues such as liver disease or cirrhosis. People who have hepatitis C or who have had hepatitis C are at risk for ascites because of the damage that the hepatitis C virus can do to their liver. A person whose liver is damaged becomes a person whose liver may be susceptible to ascites.
Michael Beckett’s story
Michael was the first patient to receive an alfapump as part of the Royal Free clinical trial and he started to feel the benefit of the continual removal of his ascites pretty quickly.
AlfaPump
The alfapump is a subcutaneously implanted battery-operated pump, which automatically and continually moves ascites from the abdominal cavity to the bladder, where it is excreted naturally from the body. Now, with new DirectLink technology, patients and physicians are offered an unprecendented level of comfort and convenience.
Patient
Ascites is the most common manifestation in cirrhotic patients and is associated with a reduced survival rate. A transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) can be used in patients with refractory ascites needing frequent paracentesis (>3/month). It is a local anaesthetic procedure (with sedation) and has generally replaced surgically created portocaval shunts.
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