Home relief paracentesis

a possible care practice

Abstract

Introduction: Ascites can be defined as an accumulation of fluid in the peritoneal cavity and, in 75% of cases, is caused by cirrhosis and portal vein hypertension of different etiologies. Its treatment includes fluid restriction, diuresis and paracentesis. Relief paracentesis is a procedure that removes ascites fluid from peritoneal cavity, reduces intra-abdominal pressure and alleviate some symptoms such as dyspnea, pain, and abdominal discomfort. It is a simple and safe technique that can be performed in a hospital or outpatient setting. The expansion of home care services in our country has enabled the completion of more complex procedures at home and may contribute to the welfare of outpatients in palliative care. Objective: Describe the profile of outpatients undergoing relief paracentesis. Methods: Cross-sectional study, including consecutive patients of a public home care service who underwent home relief paracentesis between 2009 and 2017. Data were collected from medical records and the Software Statistical Package for the Social Sciences v. 18.0 (SPSS) was used for data analysis. Results: Sample consisted of 15 out patients. We observed an average of 8.1 (3-15) in Charlson Comorbidity Index and neoplasms were the main cause of ascites (80.2%). 48 relief paracenteses were performed during the period and six patients presented clinical symptomatology requiring unplanned home visit. Concerning complications of paracentesis procedure, only one patient had bleeding at the puncture site. All above situations were handled at home. Regarding outcomes of care, 53% of patients required hospital readmission because of clinical worsening. Conclusions: Home relief paracentesis is a safe practice and can reduce unnecessary procedures at an emergency room. It is important that professionals are properly trained to perform the procedure with routine and technique established by a home care service.