Risk of Complications After Abdominal Paracentesis in Cirrhotic Patients: A Prospective Study

Background & Aims Complications and technical problems of paracentesis in cirrhotic patients are infrequent. However, the severity and the incidence of these events and their risk factors have not been assessed prospectively. Methods Cirrhotic patients (n = 171) undergoing paracentesis were included. Of the 515 paracenteses, 8.8% were diagnostic, and 91.2% were therapeutic. Technical features, demographic data, and adverse events during a period of 72 hours after the procedure were examined. Results Major complications occurred in 1.6% of procedures and included 5 bleedings and 3 infections, resulting in death in 2 cases. Major complications were associated with therapeutic but not diagnostic procedures and tended to be more prevalent in patients with low platelet count (