Excess collection of fluid in peritoneal cavity is known as

RUHS, Jaipur, M.Sc Nursing Entrance Exam-2024

Medical Surgical Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: RUHS, Jaipur, M.Sc Nursing Entrance Exam-2024

Explanation

Ascites is the medical term for the pathological buildup of fluid within the peritoneal cavity, which is the space lining the abdominal organs.
This condition is most frequently a complication of liver cirrhosis, which causes increased pressure in the liver's blood vessels (portal hypertension) and reduced production of albumin, a protein that helps keep fluid within the vessels.
The fluid that accumulates is typically a transudate, which is a clear, protein-poor fluid that has leaked from blood vessels.

Option A: Anasarca refers to severe, generalized edema that affects the entire body, including the subcutaneous tissues, rather than being confined to a specific cavity like the peritoneum.
Option C: Pleural effusion is the accumulation of excess fluid in the pleural space, the area between the lungs and the chest wall, not the abdominal cavity.
Option D: Pedal edema is a localized fluid accumulation specifically in the feet and lower legs. It is not a term for fluid within the abdominal cavity.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Terminology for fluid accumulation in body cavities as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses are responsible for monitoring patients with ascites by regularly measuring abdominal girth, tracking daily weight, and assessing for respiratory distress, which can occur if the fluid pushes up on the diaphragm.
Patient education is a key nursing intervention, focusing on the importance of a low-sodium diet and adherence to diuretic therapy to help manage fluid retention and prevent worsening of ascites.
What if? If a patient with ascites suddenly develops a fever, chills, and abdominal pain, the nurse must have a high index of suspicion for Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis (SBP). This is a life-threatening infection of the ascitic fluid that requires immediate medical attention and antibiotic therapy.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key anatomical location specified in the question stem, which is the 'peritoneal cavity'.
Next, access your knowledge of medical terminology related to fluid collections in different body cavities.
Systematically evaluate each option: 'Anasarca' is generalized body swelling, 'Pleural effusion' relates to the lungs, and 'Pedal Edema' is specific to the feet and legs.
Conclude that 'Ascites' is the precise term for fluid accumulation within the peritoneal (abdominal) cavity.
Recognize this as a factual recall question testing foundational medical vocabulary.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Pathology-Vandana Puri & Kavita Gaur Textbook of Pathology and Genetics p. 139-141

E6 Pathology- ROBBINS & COTRAN PATHOLOGIC BASIS OF DISEASE 10TH Ed p. 125-127

E6 Physiology Guyton 4SAE Part 1 p. 96-98