Arch Surg Chicago
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Severely injured patients have been observed to acutely develop ascites; however, the pathogenesis of this rare phenomenon is poorly understood. ⋯ Common denominators of posttraumatic ascites include shock, massive fluid resuscitation, and elevated intrathoracic pressure. The rapid onset of ascites in the setting of elevated intrathoracic pressure suggests that the patient's ability to clear ascitic fluid is overwhelmed.