Intraperitoneal coagulation in chronic liver disease ascites.

Twenty patients with the ascites of chronic liver disease were investigated for in vivo evidence of active coagulation within ascites by detection of fibrin monomer. Increased levels of fibrin monomer, increased fibrin/fibrinogen degradation products, and absent or low levels of fibrinogen in the ascites of all patients tested confirmed the presence of intraperitoneal coagulation when ascites is present.