Peritonitis - inflammation of the peritoneum is an acute condition, in most cases requiring surgical intervention, since it represents a danger to the life of the patient. The reasons for which it arises are different. This bacterial infection, and factors not related to bacteria - the effect of aggressive substances: gastric juice, pancreatic enzymes, bile, urine, blood.
In most cases, inflammation of the peritoneum develops due to the destruction of organs located in the abdominal cavity - acute pancreatitis, appendicitis, intestinal obstruction, etc. Pancreatic juice, pus, feces containing aggressive enzymes and bacteria begin to enter the abdominal cavity. The cause of pancreatic peritonitis can be abdominal injuries, in which hollow organs are damaged and their contents enter the abdominal cavity. Not often, but it happens that the inflammation of the peritoneum arises from the spread of infection from other foci in the body.
Spilled perforated peritonitis is a complication of acute pancreatitis, it develops in 1% of all cases of inflammation of the pancreas and in 5% of its late complications.
Pancreatic enzymes with acute pancreatitis become very active and can cause peritonitis with the release of pancreatic juices into the abdominal cavity. Acute pancreatitis complicated by peritonitis is manifested by severe shingles in the stomach and left hypochondrium, abundant vomiting, yellowish-bluish color of the navel, purple spots on the skin of the face and body( Mondor's symptom), tachycardia and increased hypotension. The body temperature rises to 39-40 ° C.Due to swelling of the pancreas and overflowing with the transversal gut, the stomach of the patient is swollen. The patient is usually in a state of shock or collapse.
Peritonitis can also develop with pancreatic necrosis, the most severe complication of acute pancreatitis, in which part of the pancreas or the entire organ dies due to self-digestion. This is an extremely difficult condition, which threatens the life of the patient. There is a strong intoxication of the body with disruption of all body systems. The prognosis of recovery in pancreatic necrosis is not comforting - despite modern methods of treatment, 40-70% of patients die from this complication.
That's why the treatment of acute pancreatitis is quite a serious problem. People with this disease should be treated in surgical hospitals, where there are conditions for emergency surgery.