Third Spacing Edema

Third spacing is the abnormal accumulation of fluid into an extracellular and extravascular space.

Third spacing edema. The third space where bodily fluid resides is the interstitial space or the space filled with interstitial fluid between the cells within the tissues. 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. Extensive tissue swelling occurs when the third space fills with excess fluid known as edema. 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.