Fluid around abdomen or heart can be life-threatening, warn experts

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

Accumulation of fluid in the abdomen, chest or around the heart should not be ignored, as it may indicate serious underlying conditions such as heart failure, kidney failure, tuberculosis, infections or advanced-stage cancer, medical experts warned on Tuesday. They cautioned against relying on home remedies, stating that delayed medical intervention could prove fatal.

A one-day conference on “Fluid Cytopathology” was organised by the department of pathology at the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) at the Bajaj Teaching Complex. Experts including Dr Vinod Siddham from Wayne State University, USA, and Dr Meena Pangarkar from the National Cancer Institute, Nagpur, addressed the conference.

Dean Dr Shivaji Sukre inaugurated the event. Pathology department head Dr Bharat Sonawane, along with Dr Vaishali Nagose, Dr Suresh Harbade, Dr Anil Joshi, Dr Vinod Mundada, Dr Prabha Khaire and Dr Pragati Fulgirkar, were present.

Dr Sonawane stated that examination of abdominal fluid often leads to the diagnosis of cancer, particularly in patients at stage three or four. He advised against unscientific treatments.

Dr Siddham noted that India reports higher cases of tuberculosis, infections and late-stage cancer compared to the United States, where early diagnosis is more common. Dr Pangarkar added that fluid in the chest causes breathing difficulty, while abdominal fluid affects digestion and nutrition.