Disease or Syndrome
ascites Audio
as·ci·tes [ uh-sahy-teez ]
Subclass of:
Pathologic Processes
Etymology:
Greek askos = a bag or bladder
Definitions related to ascites:
  • (increasing abdominal distention or ascites) Abnormal collection of fluid in the peritoneal cavity.
    CDISC Terminology
    Clinical Data Interchange Standards Consortium (CDISC), 2021
  • A clinical finding in which there is accumulation of interstitial fluid in the peritoneal cavity.
    ACC/AHA Clinical Data Terminology
    American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association , 2020
  • Abnormal buildup of fluid in the abdomen that may cause swelling. In late-stage cancer, tumor cells may be found in the fluid in the abdomen. Ascites also occurs in patients with liver disease.
    NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms
    U.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
  • Accumulation of fluid in the peritoneal cavity. The fluid may be serous, hemorrhagic, or the result of tumor metastasis to the peritoneum.
    U.S. FDA Glossary
    U.S. Food & Drug Administration, 2021
  • Accumulation or retention of free fluid within the peritoneal cavity.
    NLM Medical Subject Headings
    U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2025
  • Effusion and accumulation of serous fluid in the abdominal cavity.
    CRISP Thesaurus
    National Institutes of Health, 2006
  • A disorder characterized by accumulation of serous or hemorrhagic fluid in the peritoneal cavity.
    Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events
    U.S. National Institutes of Health, 2021
  • Ascites is free fluid in the peritoneal cavity. The most common cause is portal hypertension. Symptoms usually result from abdominal distention. Diagnosis is based on physical examination and often ultrasonography or CT. Treatments include dietary sodium restriction, diuretics, and therapeutic paracentesis. Ascitic fluid can become...
    Merck Manuals
    Merck & Co., Inc., 2025
  • The word ascites is of Greek origin (askos) and means bag or sac. Ascites describes the condition of pathologic fluid collection within the abdominal cavity.
    Medscape
    WebMD, 2025
  • Ascites, accumulation of fluid in the peritoneal cavity, between the membrane lining the abdominal wall and the membrane covering the abdominal organs. The most common causes of ascites are cirrhosis of the liver, heart failure, tumours of the peritoneal membranes, and escape of chyle (lymph laden...
    Encyclopedia Britannica
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 2025
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