Peritonitis - Glossary

Glossary

Bacteremia: It is the presence of bacteria in the blood that have entered the bloodstream as a severe complication of infections, during surgery, or due to catheters.

Gastrointestinal Perforation: Also known as ruptured bowel is a hole in the wall of part of the gastrointestinal tract.

Cirrhosis: Chronic damage to the liver with no symptoms in the early stages, which later on worsens leading to tiredness, itching sensation, swelling in the lower legs, fluid build-up in the abdomen, and spider-like blood vessels on the skin.

Peritoneal dialysis: A procedure to clean the blood in people with kidney diseases.

Diverticulosis: A condition defined by small sacs or pouches, namely diverticula, in the walls of an organ like the stomach or colon. These sacs become inflamed resulting in a condition called diverticulitis.

Paracentesis: A process in which a thin needle is used to withdraw a sample of fluid from the peritoneum for diagnosis of peritonitis.

Gangrene: A condition in which living tissue begins to decay and die because blood flow to an area is blocked or harmful bacteria invade the body's tissues after entering through a wound or sore.