Ascites and Fluid Collections

Ascites is common in both benign and malignant conditions. In palliative patients, it is a significant contributor to pain, discomfort, and impaired mobility. Drainage of ascitic fluid can be performed through various interventional procedures such as repeated large volume paracentesis/drain insertion, indwelling peritoneal catheters, peritoneovenous shunts, and TIPSS. These palliative methods can dramatically relieve a patient’s symptoms and improve quality of life. In this chapter, we will explore how these techniques are performed, when they are indicated as well as discuss their associated complications and how to mitigate them. A comparison of techniques and factors to consider when choosing a method of drainage will also be discussed.