What is peritonitis?
Peritonitis is inflammation of the peritoneal membrane. Although this most often results from infection, peritonitis can also result from noninfectious cause. Entry of infectious organisms into the peritoneum can occur from
- • Touch contamination by the patient because of improper technique
- • Extension of infection from around the PD catheter
- • Transluminal migration of bacteria across the bowel wall
- • Hematogenous seeding in the case of bacteremia or sepsis from another source
Patients usually present with symptoms of abdominal pain and cloudy PD effluent.
