Ascites - Market Share Analysis, Industry Trends & Statistics, Growth Forecasts (2026-2031)

The ascites market size was valued at USD 1.88 billion in 2025 and is estimated to grow from USD 1.98 billion in 2026 to reach USD 2.56 billion by 2031, at a CAGR of 5.29% during the forecast period (2026-2031). This report is Segmented by Product (Treatment Type, Diagnosis), Ascites Type (Refractory, Recurrent, Malignant, Chylous, Others), Route of Administration (Oral, Parenteral, Device-Based), End User (Hospitals, Ascs, Specialty Clinics, Home Care), Distribution Channel (Hospital, Retail, Online, Others), and Geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, MEA, South America). Forecasts are Provided in Terms of Value (USD).

Global Ascites Market Trends and Insights

Rising Cirrhosis And MASH-Linked Ascites Burden

The Ascites Market remains closely tied to the growing burden of advanced liver disease, with MASH-linked cirrhosis emerging as a key long-term demand driver. JAMA Network Open projected United States MASH cases to increase from 14.9 million in 2020 to 23.2 million by 2050, while MASH cirrhosis cases are projected to rise by 91.1%, from 1.147 million to 2.192 million. This is important because ascites is a common late-stage complication of cirrhosis, creating sustained demand for hospitalization, albumin use, imaging, drainage, and follow-up care. Liver Cancer International showed that total healthcare costs for MASH patients with cirrhosis were 1.3 to 2.7 times higher than for those without cirrhosis, while inpatient costs were as much as 13 times higher in decompensated disease than in compensated disease. China’s projected increase in the age-standardized Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD)-related cirrhosis burden through 2036 further strengthens the Asia-Pacific outlook and supports a broader treatment base in the region.

Repeat Paracentesis Demand In Refractory Ascites

The Ascites Market continues to gain from repeat procedure demand, as clinicians mainly manage refractory ascites through symptom control rather than durable reversal. Refractory Ascites held a 46.45% share in 2025, generating recurring hospital traffic through repeated large-volume paracentesis, albumin replacement, and ongoing monitoring. Current Hepatology Reports noted that each large-volume paracentesis session removes 21 g of protein per liter of ascitic fluid, contributing to malnutrition and sarcopenia. This reinforces recurring demand for kits, consumables, infusion therapies, and hospital services, especially where repeat drainage remains the standard pathway for late-stage patients. The REDUCe2 trial in England is comparing palliative long-term abdominal drains with hospital-based large-volume paracentesis, indicating that future demand may shift toward a more distributed care model rather than decline. The same treatment burden is also supporting earlier intervention discussions, which may move some revenue from late-stage repetitive procedures toward earlier interventional management.

Limited Disease-Modifying Options For Root-Cause Reversal

A key structural restraint in the Ascites Market is the lack of a broadly approved therapy that can reverse the underlying disease process in established cirrhosis. The 2025 review in Annals of Hepatology found that long-term albumin can reduce the incidence of complications, but randomized evidence has not yet demonstrated a transplant-free survival benefit at the population level. This gap keeps the treatment pathway focused on symptom control and sustains demand through repeated treatment cycles. However, these cycles do not fully reset patient risk or materially shorten disease duration. Patients must still follow sodium restriction below 2,000 mg/day, undergo long diuretic titration periods, make repeat hospital visits, and receive ongoing monitoring. These requirements can weaken adherence and reduce the real-world effectiveness of standard care. As a result, the market continues to generate demand from chronic care but struggles to unlock the value expansion typically associated with durable therapeutic change. Until care moves beyond palliative control, the Ascites Market will continue to grow through higher volume and treatment intensity rather than a true transformation of the treatment pathway.

Other drivers and restraints analyzed in the detailed report include:

• Broader Use Of Albumin After Large-Volume Paracentesis
• First US Approval Of An Active Implantable Ascites Pump
• Procedure Dependence And Infection Risk In Long-Term Drainage

Segment Analysis

Treatment type is expected to account for 68.12% of the Ascites market size in 2025, showing that active management of fluid accumulation continues to drive commercial activity across the care pathway. This segment includes diuretics, paracentesis, albumin infusion, transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt, liver transplantation, implantable pump therapy, and palliative long-term abdominal drainage.

Diagnosis is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.93% through 2031, making it the fastest-growing product category in the Ascites Market despite its smaller 2025 revenue base compared to treatment. Growth reflects a more protocol-driven care pathway supported by ultrasound-guided paracentesis, imaging-based quantification, and more consistent differential diagnosis. Regular disease monitoring increases diagnostic use, as each imaging touchpoint can support treatment selection, procedural planning, or complication follow-up.

Refractory ascites is expected to hold a 46.45% share in 2025, making it the largest type-based contributor to the Ascites Market and highlighting the revenue impact of late-stage patients. These patients often need repeated large-volume paracentesis, frequent albumin use, closer inpatient observation, and complex escalation decisions, which increases resource utilization. The clinical burden extends beyond fluid accumulation, as spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, hepatorenal syndrome, and repeat hospitalization often accompany refractory disease. This keeps the refractory patient pool central to the Ascites Market, especially in North America and Europe, where specialized hepatology infrastructure supports recurring procedural care at scale.

Malignant ascites is expected to advance at a CAGR of 6.67%, making it the fastest-growing type segment and one of the key innovation-led areas of the Ascites Market through 2031. Growth is expected to come from pipeline-led advances rather than only incremental improvements in drainage. A Phase III randomized trial of M701, an EpCAM×CD3 bispecific antibody administered intraperitoneally, is expected to report results at American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2026, underscoring active development in malignant ascites. Multiple early-phase programs mentioned in the user draft, including autologous tumor-reactive T-cell and other biologic approaches, are positioning the intraperitoneal setting as a therapeutic target rather than only a drainage challenge.

Complete Report Scope:

• By Product
  • Treatment Type
    • Diuretics
    • Paracentesis
    • Albumin Infusion
    • Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt
    • Liver Transplantation
    • Implantable Ascites Pump Therapy
    • Palliative Long-Term Abdominal Drainage
  • Diagnosis
    • Physical Examination
    • Ultrasound
    • Computed Tomography
    • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
    • Diagnostic Paracentesis
    • Laboratory Testing
• By Ascites Type
  • Refractory Ascites
  • Recurrent Ascites
  • Malignant Ascites
  • Chylous Ascites
  • Other Ascites Types
• By Route of Administration
  • Oral
  • Parenteral
  • Device-Based Delivery
• By End User
  • Hospitals
  • Ambulatory Surgical Centers
  • Specialty Clinics
  • Home Care Settings
  • Others
• By Distribution Channel
  • Hospital Pharmacy
  • Retail Pharmacy
  • Online Pharmacy
  • Others
• By Geography
  • North America
    • United States
    • Canada
    • Mexico
  • Europe
    • Germany
    • United Kingdom
    • France
    • Italy
    • Spain
    • Rest of Europe
  • Asia-Pacific
    • China
    • India
    • Japan
    • Australia
    • South Korea
    • Rest of Asia-Pacific
  • Middle East and Africa
    • GCC
    • South Africa
    • Rest of Middle East and Africa
  • South America
    • Brazil
    • Argentina
    • Rest of South America

Geography Analysis

North America is expected to account for 39.56% of the ascites market share in 2025, making it the largest regional contributor and reinforcing its position as the commercial center of the ascites market. The United States leads the region, supported by advanced hepatology networks, high procedural capacity, strong hospital purchasing systems, and the first approved active implantable device for recurrent or refractory cirrhotic ascites. The expected alfapump launch in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2025 is set to add a device-backed treatment option to the US care pathway and reduce reliance on repeated drainage. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) New Technology Add-on Payment support, effective October 1, 2025, is expected to improve inpatient reimbursement and support hospital adoption.

Europe represents the second major regional block in the ascites market, backed by established hepatology practice, broad use of paracentesis and albumin, and relevant experience with device-led care. Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain, and the rest of Europe support a structured care environment for advanced liver disease through specialist referrals and hospital-based management. Prior familiarity with the alfapump under European approval pathways gives the region a clinical base for future uptake where reimbursement and patient selection align. The REDUCe2 trial in the United Kingdom is expected to provide health-system evidence on palliative long-term abdominal drains and may influence procurement in home-oriented care models.

Asia-Pacific is forecast to expand at a CAGR of 8.56%, making it the fastest-growing regional part of the ascites market through 2031. Large hepatitis B and hepatitis C patient pools, the continuing burden of alcohol-related liver disease, and improving interventional radiology capacity support regional growth. India remains a key market, with 40 million people affected by hepatitis B, 12 million affected by hepatitis C, and the Ayushman Bharat program reaching 500 million people, supporting broader access to hepatology services. China is also important, as a 2025 trial in Gut showed that rice-derived recombinant human serum albumin performed comparably to plasma-derived albumin in decompensated cirrhosis, with implications for supply and cost dynamics.

List of Companies Covered in this Report:

• AngioDynamics
• B. Braun
• Baxter
• Beckton Dickinson
• BioVie Inc.
• Boston Scientific
• Cardinal Health
• Cook Group
• Roche
• Fresenius SE and Co. KGaA
• Grifols
• Martin Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
• Medtronic
• Merck
• Novartis
• Ocelot Bio, Inc.
• Regeneron Pharmaceuticals
• Sanofi
• Sequana Medical N.V.
• Teleflex
• Teva Pharmaceutical Industries

Additional Benefits:

• The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format
• 3 months of analyst support