Peritonitis Flashcards
1
Q
What are the clinical features of peritonitis?
A
- Features of underlying disease
- Severe pain
- Made worse by movement
- Vomiting
- Localised/generalised tenderness
- Rigid abdo wall and rebound tenderness
- Bowel sounds = absent!
2
Q
What investigations are done in peritonitis?
A
- FBC = leucocytosis
- Serum amylase to check pancreatitis
- CXR/AXR = free gas if perforated abdominal viscus
- CT - detects free gas and can pinpoint cause.
3
Q
What are the differential diagnoses of peritonitis?
A
- Intestinal obstruction
- Ureteric/biliary colic
- Expansion/leakage of abdominal aneurysm.
4
Q
What is the management for peritonitis?
A
- Oxygen
- IV fluids
- Antibiotics
- Opiate analgesia
- NG tube
- Surgery if cause of infection can be removed/closed.
