Peritonitis Flashcards
What is peritonitis?
Inflammation of the peritoneum
What is the peritoneum? Describe its structure?
The two membranes that separate the organs in the abdominal cavity from the abdominal wall.
Parietal peritoneum (touches abdominal wall) Visceral peritoneum (touches organs)
What two types of peritonitis are there?
Describe how they are different?
Generalised: direct irritation of the peritoneum, much more serious
Localised: inflammation of underlying organs that indirectly causes irritation of the peritoneum
In which sex is peritonitis more common?
Males
Peritonitis can be infected or non-infected. But which is more common?
Infected
What are the causes of infected peritonitis?
Perforation
- of GI tract
- reproductive tract in women
Disruption of peritoneum
- surgery
- trauma
Spontaneous
Systemic infection
How does perforation of GI or reproductive tract cause infected peritonitis?
These areas are not sterile, so they will contain bacteria
In perforation, bacteria can escape into peritoneum and infect it
What are the usual suspects that infect the peritoneum in a perforation?
Bacteria found in the GI tract so
Gram negative bacteria
Such as E.coli
How does disruption of the peritoneum cause infected peritonitis?
Surgery or trauma, lacerations
Bacteria gets into the peritoneum from the environment
What are the usual suspects that infect the peritoneum in a disruption?
Staph aureus
In which people do you see spontaneous bacterial peritonitis?
Children
People with ascites
What systemic infection can lead to infected peritonitis?
TB
What causes non-infected peritonitis?
A leakage of sterile body fluids into the peritoneum: such as blood, bile, urine
Auto-immune diseases: lupus
What usually happens if there is a leakage of sterile body fluids into the peritoneum?
It usually becomes infected and become infected peritonitis
What are the clinical features of peritonitis?
Abdominal pain + tenderness
- lying still due to pain
- pain on coughing
Bloating, distension of abdomen Fever Nausea + vomiting Anorexia Diarrhoea Low urine output Thirst Hypovolaemia Tachycardia Sepsis
