ABSTRACT
Introduction: Appropriate peritoneal fluid analysis is themost efficient and effective method of diagnosing the causeof peritoneal effusion. Both nonmalignant and malignantcauses of effusion can be identified by cytology in severalcases in correlation with clinical history and examination.With this basis, the present study on cytology of peritonealeffusion was taken up. Current research aimed to study thecytology of the peritoneal fluid in various diseases to establishclinicocytological correlation, for proper management ofpatient.Material and Methods: 115 samples of peritoneal fluidwere subjected to physical, biochemical and cytologicalexamination.Results: Peritoneal effusion was seen in 62.61% of femalesand 37.39% of males. 66.96% samples were transudative and33.04% were exudative. TLC was less than 500 cells/cu.mm inmost (74.02%) of transudative effusions. 47.36% of exudativeeffusion had TLC greater than 1000 cells/cu.mm and 39.47%of exudative effusion had TLC between 500-1000 cells/cumm. 95 (82.60%) samples had predominantly lymphocytes.18.26% of peritoneal effusions were positive for malignantcells. Most (85.71%) of malignant effusions were exudative.Primary site could be assessed by cytological examination in(57.14%) of malignant effusions.Conclusion: Cytological study of body effusions is neither ascreening test nor a method of early diagnosis of cancer. It isin fact a complete diagnostic modality which aims at pointingout the etiology of effusion as well as in certain cases a meansof prognostication of the disease process. Non malignantcauses are the more common causes of peritoneal effusion.Metastatic carcinomas are the most common tumors found ineffusions.