[Ascites during the first week of life (author's transl)]

Retrospective analysis of 22 cases with neonatal ascites showed the most common cause to be anomalies of the urogenital system (urethral valve, hydronephrosis, rupture of bladder, rupture of ovarian cyst). Next came malformations of the gastro-intestinal tract and of the liver and congenital infections (toxoplasmosis, cytomegaly). In 4 cases the cause was not found. More than one half of the cases permitted a definitive radiologic diagnosis, mainly in malformations requiring surgery. We suggest a standardized procedure of investigation of all cases with neonatal ascites. If this procedure does not result in a positive diagnosis and if the ascites fluid does not contain blood or bile, we fell that laparotomy is not indicated.