Water in the abdomen after a caesarean section
An accumulation of fluid in the abdomen after a caesarean section is performed can occur during the wound healing process and can be conspicuous by a non-decreasing abdominal girth. If there is ascites requiring treatment, the tissue is relieved by drainage. The fluid can drain off.
Furthermore, there is a risk of injury to neighboring organs during each caesarean section. If the urinary bladder is injured, a small amount of fluid also passes into the abdomen. You will learn everything about the Caesarean section in the following article: Caesarean section – indications & risks
Puncture the water in the abdomen
The puncture of water in the abdomen can be done for two different reasons. On the one hand, the puncture serves diagnostic purposes, because the material obtained can be examined so that a cause of abdominal dropsy can be found. The number of cells in the fluid as well as the protein content and the possible presence of pathogens play an important role in the diagnosis.
The color of the punctured abdominal fluid (bloody, cloudy, milky cloudy) can also provide information about the cause of the disease. The puncture is usually sonographically controlled (i.e. using ultrasound), and the needle can be seen in the ultrasound so that a suitable position can be found to remove the fluid without damaging organs in the abdomen. The therapeutic component also plays an important role in ascites puncture. Large amounts of water can be withdrawn from the abdomen. If the amount is more than 5 liters, an infusion of fluid into the vein should then be performed to prevent a sudden severe fluid deficiency in the body.
What are the alternatives to puncture?
Alternative treatments of the water in the abdomen consist first of all of a causal therapy. Liver, pancreas, intestinal and ovarian diseases can be treated with medication. A diuretic therapy (treatment with water tablets) can also reduce the water in the abdomen.
In addition, fluid and salt restriction can prevent the absorption of more fluid, so that water retention does not increase further and the body reabsorbs the existing fluid into the circulation. Regular weighing is suitable for monitoring therapy, as the weight curve can provide a rough indication of the amount of ascites.
