Improvement in oxygenation after large volume paracentesis.

Seventeen patients with biopsy-confirmed hepatic cirrhosis and tense ascites performed reproducible pulmonary functions and had arterial blood gas analysis before and after having a therapeutic large volume paracentesis. Each patient showed significant improvement in the static lung volumes as determined by helium dilution techniques. Dynamic airflow also improved as expressed by the FVC and the FEV1. The FEV1/FVC ratio remained unchanged. Each patient showed a significant improvement in oxygenation 120 minutes after LVP. Alveolar ventilation as expressed by PaCO2 did not change. The pathophysiology that explains the improvement in oxygenation remains speculative. Large volume paracentesis appears to have a salutary effect on oxygenation, as well as on pulmonary function.