Peritoneal Kaposi's sarcoma: a cause of ascites in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

The investigation of ascites in a homosexual man with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and mucocutaneous Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) revealed only numerous purplish nodules of KS in the parietal and serosal peritoneum, observed at laparoscopy. KS lesions of the peritoneum, a finding not reported in the literature previously, was the only and likely cause of ascites in our patient. Increased red cells and high serum-ascites albumin gradient in a patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome should suggest the possibility of peritoneal KS as a cause of ascites.