Publication/Presentation Date
10-16-2020
Abstract
The most common cause of ascites is liver cirrhosis. Additional causes such as heart failure, cancer, and pancreatitis among others can also precipitate this abnormality. Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is an infection of ascitic fluid that happens without any evidence of an intra-abdominal surgically-treatable cause. Ascites of cardiac origin can also be complicated by SBP. Here we present a case of a 62-year-old male with extensive cardiac history who presented to our service with ongoing dyspnea and orthopnea. He also had significant abdominal distention and pitting edema. The patient was found to have constrictive pericarditis and was admitted for pericardiectomy. Ascitic fluid was consistent with a transudative process. Lab and imaging did not show evidence of liver or kidney disease. Ascitic fluid was indicative of ascites of cardiac origin. Postoperatively patient developed intermittent fevers initially thought to be due to pericarditis but later found to be due to SBP complicating his recurrent ascites. Such a temporal association of SBP that complicates ascites after pericardiectomy has not been discussed frequently in literature.
Volume
12
Issue
10
First Page
10995
Last Page
10995
ISSN
2168-8184
Published In/Presented At
Zafar, M. U., Marjara, J., Tarar, Z. I., Ghous, G., & Patel, P. (2020). Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis in Cardiogenic Ascites. Cureus, 12(10), e10995. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.10995
Disciplines
Medicine and Health Sciences
PubMedID
33209551
Department(s)
Department of Emergency Medicine, Department of Medicine
Document Type
Article