Bacterial peritonitis
As the name suggests, bacterial peritonitis is a type of peritonitis, caused by a bacterial infection.
Other names[edit | edit source]
Acute abdomen; Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis; SBP; Cirrhosis - spontaneous peritonitis
What is peritonitis?[edit | edit source]
Peritonitis literally means inflammation of the peritoneum.
Types[edit | edit source]
Based on the acuity, it can acute or chronic and based on the source, it can be primary or secondary
Causes of bacterial peritonitis[edit | edit source]
Peritonitis is caused by a collection of blood, body fluids, or pus in the belly (abdomen).
Spontaneous or primary bacterial peritonitis[edit | edit source]
Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis occurs in people with ascites, in people with certain cancers, and heart failure.
Secondary bacterial peritonitis[edit | edit source]
Peritonitis can be due to other medical problems called secondary bacterial peritonitis causes of this include:
- Trauma or wounds to the belly
- Ruptured appendix
- Ruptured diverticula
- Infection after any surgery in the belly
Symptoms[edit | edit source]
Symptoms of acute peritonitis include pain in the abdomen, swelling, fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, etc.
Other symptoms may include:
- Passing little or no stools or gas
- Excessive fatigue
- Passing less urine
- Nausea and vomiting
- Racing heartbeat
- Shortness of breath
Physical examination[edit | edit source]
Upon physical examination, the abdomen is usually tender and may feel firm or "board-like." People with peritonitis usually curl up or refuse to let anyone touch the area.
Investigations[edit | edit source]
Blood tests, x-rays, and CT scans and in some situations, peritoneal fluid tap to analyze the fluid.
Management[edit | edit source]
The cause must be identified and treated urgently and treatment typically involves combination of surgery and antibiotics.
Complications[edit | edit source]
Peritonitis can be life threatening and may cause complications depending on the type of peritonitis.
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Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD
