ETIOLOGY AND DIAGNOSIS OF ASCITES OF UNDETERMINED ORIGIN IN A DEVELOPING COUNTRY: A PROSPECTIVE STUDY

Introduction: Ascites is defined as the pathologic accumulation of free fluid within the abdominal cavity. It is a symptom of numerous medical conditions and has a broad differential diagnosis. The Various etiologies of Ascites of undetermined origin are analysed and presented Materials And Methods: 30 patients presenting to the hospital with no obvious or identifiable cause of ascites were evaluated between 2019 and 2020. Patients with no obvious cause of ascites onbiochemical, radiological, pathological investigations werestudied and diagnostic laparoscopy with histopathological examination was done. Results: Tuberculosis was the commonest cause of ascites in 19 patients, Malignancy in 5 patients, Cirrhosis in 3 patients. In 10 patients the cause of ascites could not be ascertained even after extensive investigations. Conclusion:Tuberculosis continues to remain the leading cause of ascites of undetermined origin followed by malignancy. There is a need for further research as causes of undetermined ascites remain elusive even after exhaustive investigations.