Ascites after cardiac surgery

Abstract

The article presents a study of a 24-year-old male with a single ventricle congenital heart disease and a progressive ascites after a palliative Fontan procedure. Based on the abdominal paracentesis, the patient had spontaneous bacterial peritonitis with 0.6 gram per deciliter (g/dl) albumin in the ascitic fluid. The researcher concluded that erythrocytosis in cyanotic patients increases whole blood viscosity producing a tendency for microthrombi to occur to portal vein lesions and ascites.