Anasarca

[MIA-RN]

Hi all. I have been taking care of some patients recently who are really edemetous to the point they are weeping thru the skin.

I was wondering if anyone knows...after a patient with this condition passess, does the fluid remain in the body or does it weep out? I am thinking that with the loss of pressures within the body, it would stay but would not weep but I am just not sure.

I am new at the kind of nursing I am doing (med surg) and my mind went down this morbid path as I tried to fall asleep last night.

Thanks in advance!

[BBFRN, BSN, PhD]

You generally treat this with Albumin and Lasix. Ideally, the Albumin draws the fluid back into the vascular space, then it gets processed through the kidneys, and then is excreted with the help of the Lasix.

[MIA-RN]

You generally treat this with Albumin and Lasix. Ideally, the Albumin draws the fluid back into the vascular space, then it gets processed through the kidneys, and then is excreted with the help of the Lasix.

Oh yes, its all beyond that point now with some multiple organs going into failure and tumors and stuff. I was just wondering what happens after a person passes...if they retain the fluids.

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

When you say "after a patient with this condition passess" do you mean after they die? I'm thinking about the pathophysiology of the condition. The patient retains all this fluid because of underlying chemisty imbalances. Often low protein is at the heart of it. Until the osmolality of the circulation and fluids in the body is corrected, this generalized edema isn't usually corrected either. So, death, if that is what you were referred to, isn't going to make a difference. If the patient was already having weeping from their skin before death, they will continue to have some weeping from the skin after their death, I would imagine.

[MIA-RN]

When you say "after a patient with this condition passess" do you mean after they die? I'm thinking about the pathophysiology of the condition. The patient retains all this fluid because of underlying chemisty imbalances. Often low protein is at the heart of it. Until the osmolality of the circulation and fluids in the body is corrected, this generalized edema isn't usually corrected either. So, death, if that is what you were referred to, isn't going to make a difference. If the patient was already having weeping from their skin before death, they will continue to have some weeping from the skin after their death, I would imagine.

Yes that was what I wondering about. Its an oncology patient and he is compromised with mets etc. Shutdowns are starting and I was just thinking morbidly, I guess. Thank you! :)

[leslie :-D]

after death, the weeping will cease.

all organs and systems have shut down.

in the absence of circulation, fluids pool in the cavities.

if there is any weeping, it will be minimal.

i hope your pt is receiving superior comfort care.

leslie

[MIA-RN]

after death, the weeping will cease.

all organs and systems have shut down.

in the absence of circulation, fluids pool in the cavities.

if there is any weeping, it will be minimal.

i hope your pt is receiving superior comfort care.

leslie

Yes we are doing our best. Thanks for the info.