What is spontaneous peritonitis

If hepatitis is not treated for a long time, cirrhosis will occur. Patients with cirrhosis will have many complications, the most common of which is ascites. This is because the body's resistance is reduced and the bacterial reproduction in the intestines increases, causing spontaneous peritonitis. This disease must be treated as early as possible. If not treated in time, shock and other severe cases may be life-threatening.

Liver cancer patients are often accompanied by cirrhosis. In cases of cirrhosis, the body's immune function is reduced, and coupled with portal hypertension and intestinal circulatory disorders, the barrier function of the intestinal mucosa against bacteria is reduced, causing bacteria to multiply and pass through the intestinal mucosal barrier into the abdominal cavity, causing extensive peritonitis.

The diagnosis of spontaneous peritonitis mainly relies on the medical history and clinical manifestations of the patient. If turbid ascites is extracted and white blood cells are found in the ascites, the diagnosis can be confirmed by culturing and identifying the infecting bacteria.

If spontaneous peritonitis is found, it is usually necessary to target the infecting bacteria and select sensitive antimicrobial drugs for treatment in combination with bacterial drug sensitivity testing. Spontaneous peritonitis is a serious complication of liver cancer, which is difficult to treat and has a poor prognosis.

Causes

In cirrhosis of the liver, the phagocytic function of mononuclear phagocytes is weakened, bacteria in the intestine multiply abnormally, and bacteria enter the abdominal cavity through the intestinal wall; the vascular structure inside and outside the liver changes, and bacteria can circulate through the collaterals, causing bleeding or bacterial lymph fluid leaking from the liver capsule and the portal lymph plexus into the abdominal cavity and causing infection. Typical cases include fever, abdominal pain, abdominal wall tenderness and rebound pain, etc. The white blood cell count may increase, and the ascites may be turbid and appear as exudate. Bacteria may grow in ascites culture, and the horseshoe crab lysate test is often positive. A few cases have no abdominal pain or fever, but present with hypotension or shock, refractory ascites or progressive liver failure.