Third Space Edema

Third spacing is a shift of fluid into the interstitial spaces where there is little fluid normally perfusing.

Third space edema. Third spacing third spacing is the abnormal accumulation of fluid into an extracellular and extravascular space. Cerebral edema like from hyponatremia the difference between a patient who has edema and a patient who has third spacing is that the third spacing patient is hypovolemic because the fluid has moved from the ecf and is not available for use. Swelling to feet ankles and hands.

As a person ages the kidney function decreases naturally. The inflammation can also come from exposure to medical. In medicine the term is often used with regard to loss of fluid into interstitial spaces such as with burns or edema but it can also refer to fluid shifts into a body cavity transcellular space such as ascites and pleural effusions.

With regard to severe burns fluids may pool on the burn site i e. In addition excess fluid sometimes collects in what is called the third space which includes cavities in the abdomen abdominal or peritoneal cavity called ascites or in the chest lung or pleural cavity called pleural effusion. Edema can be the result of medication pregnancy or an underlying disease often congestive heart failure kidney disease or cirrhosis of the liver.

The third space where bodily fluid resides is the interstitial space or the space filled with interstitial fluid between the cells within the tissues. Basically third spacing occurs due to decreased oncotic pressure in the intravascular space. Fluid lying outside of the interstitial tissue exposed to evaporation.

All the fluid has shifted from the other compartments and although they look all puffy and full of fluid they are actually hypovolemic. Edema is swelling caused by excess fluid trapped in your body s tissues. This patient differs from the pt with generalized edema because the third spacing is just that.

This drop in oncotic pressure means fluid will leak out of the intravascular space into the interstitial space and yes this can include the interstitial spaces in the brain leading to cerebral edema. This phase lasts 24 to 72 hours after the initial insult that led to the increased capillary permeability for example surgery trauma burns or sepsis. Extensive tissue swelling occurs when the third space fills with excess fluid known as edema.