Edema

edema, also spelled oedema, plural edemas, or edemata, in medicine, an abnormal accumulation of watery fluid in the intercellular spaces of connective tissue. Edematous tissues are swollen and, when punctured, secrete a thin incoagulable fluid. This fluid is essentially an ultrafiltrate of serum but also contains small amounts of protein. Minor differences in composition are found in various diseases with which edema is associated. Generalized edema (also called dropsy, or hydrops) may involve the cavities of the body as well as the tissues with the excessive accumulation of fluid.

Edema is most frequently a symptom of disease rather than a disease in itself, and it may have a number of causes, most of which can be traced back to gross variations in the physiological mechanisms that normally maintain a constant water balance in the cells, tissues, and blood. Among the causes may be diseases of the kidneys, heart, veins, or lymphatic system; malnutrition; or allergic reactions. The treatment of edema generally consists of correcting the underlying cause, such as improving kidney or heart function. Edema may be a purely local condition (e.g., hives), or it may be a general one (e.g., nephrotic edema).

The term dropsy is somewhat archaic, and edema has come to be the preferred term.