What Are the Symptoms of Advanced Liver Ascites?
There are various causes of ascites in liver disease, including hepatitis B and hepatitis C. Ascites, actually referring to ascites in liver cirrhosis, poses a significant threat to physical health. Ascites can be divided into early and late stages, with different symptoms manifesting in different periods. However, it is crucial to seek prompt and professional treatment upon diagnosis to prevent the condition from worsening and causing further harm to health.
What are the symptoms of ascites in the late stage of liver disease? Here are some examples:
1. Hepatic pain: Most patients experience hepatic pain, which is located at the tumor site and often manifests as persistent distending pain or dull pain. The pain is caused by the growth of the tumor, which stretches the hepatic capsule. If the lesion involves the diaphragm, the pain may radiate to the right shoulder. Sudden severe pain may occur when the cancerous nodule ruptures, accompanied by symptoms and signs of peritonitis. Significant bleeding may lead to syncope and shock.
2. Hepatic enlargement: Approximately 90% or more of patients have enlarged livers, which are progressively enlarging, firm, and irregular with varying sizes of nodules or masses. The edges are blunt and uneven, often with varying degrees of tenderness. When liver cancer protrudes below the right costal arch or xiphoid process, the upper abdomen may appear locally prominent or full. If the cancerous mass is located on the diaphragmatic surface, the main manifestation is diaphragmatic elevation without hepatic enlargement. Due to the rich and tortuous arterial blood vessels of liver cancer or the compression of the hepatic artery or abdominal aorta by the large cancerous mass, the arterial diameter may suddenly narrow, and sometimes a blowing-like vascular murmur can be heard on the abdominal wall close to the tumor.
3. Jaundice: Jaundice generally appears in the late stage and can be caused by liver damage or biliary obstruction due to compression or invasion of the bile ducts near the hepatic hilum by the cancerous mass, or due to the shedding of cancerous tissue and blood clots.
4. Signs of liver cirrhosis: Patients with liver cancer accompanied by liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension may present with splenomegaly, ascites, and the formation of collateral circulation in veins. Ascites rapidly increases and is generally a transudate. Hemorrhagic ascites is often caused by the invasion of the cancerous mass into the hepatic capsule or rupture into the abdominal cavity, occasionally due to peritoneal metastatic cancer.
