[Evacuatory paracentesis at home: why not in primary care?].

OBJECTIVE

Study of the complications occurring during the weak after carrying out evacuatory paracentesis at home. To assess the viability of using this technique in primary care (PC).

DESIGN

A retrospective observation study.

SETTING

Home Hospital Unit of the Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital (Santander).

PATIENTS AND OTHER PARTICIPANTS

14 patients with chronic hepatopathy or cirrhosis admitted to our unit between 1984 and 1994 and who required evacuatory paracentesis to control their ascites.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Only in 17 of the 90 paracentesis performed was there any kind of complication: 12 cases of high digestive haemorrhage, 10 of hepatic encephalopathy, 3 of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis and 2 acute renal failures. There were no complications in 81.11% (73). We found no significant differences between creatinine and sodium in blood pre-paracentesis (1.60 +/- 0.65 mg/dl and 133.07 +/- 4.47 mEq/ml) and post-paracentesis (1.79 +/- 0.83 mg/dl and 132 +/- 4.57 mEq/ml).

CONCLUSIONS

Evacuatory paracentesis is a safe and simple procedure that can be performed in the home and could be assumed by primary-care teams as a part of their scheduled home visits.