Peritonitis: symptoms, causes, treatment.

The peritoneum is a serous membrane that lines the inner surface of the abdominal cavity and covers the abdominal organs. Sometimes it becomes inflamed - and the doctor makes a diagnosis of "peritonitis." Symptoms do not always allow you to draw conclusions about the nature of the disease at home, but with the slightest suspicion of peritonitis, you should immediately call an ambulance. Because with this diagnosis, the mortality rate is more than 10 percent for professional treatment. In the absence of treatment, almost all die.

Do not play dangerous games of "people's treatment" with the disease "peritonitis." Symptoms at the onset of inflammation are similar to normal food poisoning: nausea and very strong vomiting are associated with dull or aching abdominal pain, which becomes particularly noticeable when touched. However, soon the pain becomes unceasing and unbearable, intensifying with any movement. The patient may have chills and fever. It seems to him that fluid flows in the stomach. It is also often uncontrollable thirst. Often the patient can not urinate or emit liquids much less than usual. It happens that the process of excrement for such a patient becomes almost impossible.

Why does peritonitis occur? Symptoms that we have listed, by themselves, can not explain the onset of the disease. Let's talk about the most common causes of peritonitis.

First, it is a liver disease, accompanied by a process of cirrhosis. With this disease in the stomach accumulates fluid, which can penetrate the pathogens of the infectious process. Inflammation, caused by them, is peritonitis. Symptoms of the disease are combined with classical symptoms of liver damage, for example, yellow sclera.

Secondly, with the process of peritoneal dialysis, when a catheter is inserted into the abdominal cavity , infection can be introduced. Therefore, such manipulations can be carried out only in clinics that give rise to trust.

Third, to provoke peritonitis, the symptoms of which are so threatening, can other very serious conditions. Such as rupture of the appendix, pancreatitis, perforation of the wall of the stomach, intestine or gallbladder.

Peritonitis, the treatment of which can be entrusted only to the doctor, is always a disease that directly threatens the patient's life. Therefore, with the main symptom - painful pain with any movement, spread throughout the stomach, you need to immediately call an ambulance, and not try to take the person to the polyclinic. After all, the therapist can not help. The disease can quickly provoke sepsis. And this condition is very difficult to treat.

If the patient has experienced a sudden drop in blood pressure, this may be a sign of sepsis. Be sure to report this symptom to the operator who receives the call on the ambulance, the fact is that in this case you may need an intensive care team, rather than the usual one.

After the sick person is taken to the hospital, he will immediately be given intravenous therapy with the most powerful antibiotics or antifungal agents. In order to know the causative agent, the doctor will take a puncture of the fluid in the peritoneum. If the patient develops a deficiency of any of the organs, then immediately supportive therapy of this or that organ will be started. Very often surgical methods of treatment are required, especially if peritonitis is caused by rupture of the appendix or perforation of the wall of the stomach, intestine or gallbladder. In this case, the infected tissue will be removed by the surgeon, and also the particularly affected part of the peritoneum will be removed. Of course, cosmetic sutures in this situation will not work. Most likely, the entire abdomen will be placed. And after the operation, a drainage system will be installed, which is also very unpleasant. Therefore, we must try to prevent peritonitis, and if it is suspected - immediately seek help.

Peritonitis, the symptoms of which we discussed, can be prevented if we monitor the condition of our internal organs, for example, do not allow the ulcer to reach the degree of perforation. So regularly take medical examinations and take timely measures for the prevention of disease. Then do not have to suspect peritonitis and urgently call the ambulance.