Peritonitis - symptoms

Inflammation of the peritoneum or peritonitis, the symptoms of which are very acute, is an extremely dangerous pathology requiring immediate hospitalization. The delay in qualified medical care in most cases is worth the patient's life.

Causes and symptoms of peritonitis of the abdominal cavity

Inflammation of the peritoneum develops under the influence of aggressive agents (bile, lymph, blood, urine) that have fallen into the abdominal cavity from damaged internal organs (including knife, gunshot wounds), as well as bacterial infection of the peritoneum.

The patient feels a sharp pain in the abdomen, which increases with a change in position. There is nausea, vomiting, which does not bring relief, chills, sweating. The abdomen of the patient is hard and painful to respond to palpation. Characteristic for peritonitis symptom Voskresensky (pulsations of the aorta due to infiltration of the retroperitoneal space weaken in the left costal-vertebral corner). In the early stages of inflammation of the peritoneum (the first day), a symptom of Blumberg-Schetkina is observed - the patient feels severe pain when the doctor abruptly withdraws the hand from the abdomen after deep palpation.

A blood test shows a high content of leukocytes.

Very characteristic for acute peritonitis is a symptom of imaginary well-being - after palpation accompanied by severe pain, the peritoneal receptors seem to be adapting, and the patient begins to feel better. After 2 - 3 hours his condition deteriorates sharply, the pain intensifies.

Symptoms of peritonitis in appendicitis

Inflammation of the appendix is ​​accompanied by symptoms similar to those of food poisoning, which is why many patients are slow to call a doctor, but try to fight the disease on their own. This soil often develops peritonitis. Its first stage is characterized by nausea and vomiting, the stomach is swollen, pains do not have a clear localization. At the second stage, this symptomatology becomes less pronounced, but intestinal obstruction, tachycardia , and a rapid pulse develop. For the third stage is characterized by intoxication and rapidly progressive inflammation, the stomach of the patient is swollen, the pain is weakly expressed. The fourth stage, as a rule, ends with a lethal outcome due to multiple organ failure, caused by severe intoxication and inflammation.

Symptoms of bile peritonitis

Inflammation of the peritoneum can begin after cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal), liver transplantation, biliary tract trauma, and also due to prolonged jaundice (intrahepatic duct rupture).

When bile enters the peritoneum, a shock develops, caused by contact with bile salts. There is exudation of large volumes of fluid, severe abdominal pain, low blood pressure, tachycardia, intestinal obstruction. The patient is pale, lying motionless. A few hours after entering the peritoneum of bile, a secondary infection begins to develop: pain in the abdomen persists, the temperature rises.

Symptoms of purulent peritonitis

If there are purulent diseases of the abdominal organs, peritonitis from the local passes into diffuse (diffuse) form. The patient has severe nausea and vomiting (initially the contents of the stomach, later - bile, the smell of which is putrefactive). Vomiting does not bring relief, the body begins to dehydrate, the patient, despite the thirst, can neither drink nor eat. The facial features are sharpened, it acquires an earthy tinge. The patient's lips are dry and gusty, he is thrown into a cold sweat, the inhibition in the final stage of peritonitis is replaced by euphoria. With increasing intoxication, the pulse increases, and the pressure on the contrary falls. A low body temperature is accompanied by chills.