Work of an In-patient Department

43. Peritonitis
Peritonitis is known to be general or localized, acute or chronic, primary or secondary.
Acute general purulent peritonitis is believed to be due to perforation of one of the hollow abdominal organs. The most frequent causes are perforating appendicitis, inflammatory conditions of the female sex organs and perforating gastric or duodenal ulcers.
The main symptoms of this condition are vomiting, pain and tenderness in the abdomen, it being considerably enlarged due to the presence of fluid there. The temperature is known to be moderately elevated, the pulse rate being con­siderably changed. The blood analysis usually reveals leucocytosis.
This condition is extremely dangerous to the patient's life, an emergency surgery being performed to save the patient. During the operation the primary focus of peritonitis is to be removed, the danger for the patient being elimi­nated.
Emergency operative treatment is known to be followed by a course of antibiotic treatment, which greatly contributes to the recovery.