ascites
Noun A medical condition characterized by the abnormal accumulation of serous fluid in the peritoneal cavity, which is the space within the abdomen that contains the intestines, liver, and other organs. This buildup causes abdominal swelling and distension.
"Ascites" is a singular, uncountable noun used primarily in medical contexts. It refers to the condition or the fluid itself as a collective mass. * The patient was diagnosed with ascites due to liver cirrhosis. * Severe ascites can cause discomfort and difficulty breathing. * Paracentesis is a procedure to drain ascites from the abdomen.
- Clinical Descriptions: The condition is often described in terms of its severity (e.g., mild, moderate, or severe ascites) or its suspected cause (e.g., malignant ascites, portal hypertensive ascites).
- The ultrasound confirmed the presence of moderate ascites.
- Adjectival Form: The adjective "ascitic" is used to describe something related to ascites.
- Analysis of the ascitic fluid is crucial for diagnosis.
- Ascitic (adjective): Pertaining to or affected with ascites.
- The patient had ascitic fluid drainage.
- Hydroperitoneum (noun): A less common synonym for ascites, literally meaning "water in the peritoneum."
- Abdominal dropsy (archaic)
- Hydroperitoneum (medical)
- Peritoneal effusion (specifies the location and type of fluid)
"Ascites" has only one specific meaning in modern English: the pathological accumulation of fluid in the peritoneal cavity. It does not have general or colloquial meanings.
There are no common idioms or phrasal verbs using the word "ascites" due to its highly specialized medical nature.
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accumulation of serous fluid in peritoneal cavity
