Peritonitis treatment, causes of peritonitis , symptoms of peritonitis.
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The peritoneum (or the visceral peritoneum) is a thin, two-layered membrane which covers the abdominal organs(like stomach, intestines or liver) and the abdominal walls(parietal peritoneum). When this membrane becomes inflamed it produces the disease called peritonitis. The peritonitis is usually caused by bacterial infection. It can be two kinds of peritonitis:
1)primary-when a blood or lymph infection causes the infection of the peritoneum as well. However this type of peritonitis is very rare.
2)secondary-when bacteria or
enzymes from the biliary or gastrointestinal tract get into peritoneum. This
sort of peritonitis is more common. 
There are several factors which can contribute at increasing the risk of peritonitis.
For example, risk factors for primary peritonitis are: cirrhosis (liver disease), kidney damage, pelvic inflammation, fluid in the abdomen, an immune system showing a deficit.
The following items represent a risk factors for secondary peritonitis: stomach ulcers, damaged intestine or pancreas, appendicitis, inflammatory bowel disease.
Spontaneous peritonitis (primary peritonitis) usually appears on patients who suffer from liver, kidney or heart disease. The main cause of secondary peritonitis is the spillage of bacteria, bile or enzymes into the peritoneum from a hole of the biliary or gastrointestinal tract. Other causes of secondary peritonitis are: untreated ulcer, perforated bowel, perforation or inflammation of the gall bladder, inflammation of the fallopian tube, inflammation of the pancreas.
The symptoms of peritonitis are different from one person to another. Some of the principal symptoms of peritonitis are: severe, steady abdominal pain , abdominal distention , fever (over 38.0° C), chills, associated with abundant perspiration, weakness, vomiting and nausea, loss of appetite, the skin turns pale and cold, increased heart rates and breathing, low blood pressure, shock, inability to urinate or pass stools.
Peritonitis can also have complications like:
Peritonitis is a life-threatening disease which can develop dangerous complications if it’s not treated promptly. Given this fact is very important that the diagnosis arrive on due time. First of all the doctor does a physical examination which consists in feeling and pressing the abdomen so he can detect any swelling, tension or tenderness of the abdomen or if fluids are clustered in that area. Secondly the doctor can check the blood pressure or he can listen the bowel movements or sounds, heavy respiration or signs of dehydration, pale skin or abnormal pulse rate.
The treatment for peritonitis is strictly related with the cause of the disease.
Patients who suffer from ascites (the accumulation of an amount of fluid in the abdominal cavity) are treated with diuretics-a type of medicine who’s effect is the increase of urine output and implicitly the elimination of excessive fluid from the body.
Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis is treated with antibiotics like cefotaxime or ampicilin. Usually the treatment last for 1-2 weeks. In special cases like patients who do peritoneal dialysis the doctor will decide what kind of antibiotic should be administrated.
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