Secondary PeritonitisSymptoms, Doctors, Treatments, Advances & More
Learn About Secondary Peritonitis
The peritoneum is the thin tissue that lines the inner wall of the abdomen and covers most of the organs in the abdomen. Peritonitis is present when this tissue becomes inflamed or infected. Secondary peritonitis is when another condition is the cause.
Secondary peritonitis
Secondary peritonitis has several major causes.
- Bacteria may enter the peritoneum through a hole (perforation) in an organ of the digestive tract. The hole may be caused by a ruptured appendix, stomach ulcer, or perforated colon. It may also come from an injury, such as a gunshot or knife wound or following the ingestion of a sharp foreign body.
- Bile (from the liver) or chemicals released by the pancreas may leak into the abdominal cavity. This may be caused by swelling and inflammation of the pancreas called pancreatitis.
- Tubes or catheters placed into the abdomen may cause this problem. These include catheters for peritoneal dialysis, feeding tubes, and others.
An infection of the bloodstream (sepsis) may lead to an infection in the abdomen also. This is a severe illness. Commonly involved bacteria are E coli, Bacteroides fragilis, and enterococci.
This tissue may become infected when there is no clear cause.
Necrotizing enterocolitis occurs when the lining of the intestinal wall dies and can lead to peritonitis. This problem nearly always develops in an infant who is ill or born early.
Symptoms include:
- Swollen abdomen when your belly area is bigger than usual
- Abdominal pain
- Decreased appetite
- Fever
- Low urine output
- Nausea
- Thirst
- Vomiting
Note: There may be signs of shock.
Often, surgery is needed to remove or treat sources of infection. These may be an infected bowel, an inflamed appendix, or an abscess or perforated diverticulum, usually due to diverticulitis.
General treatment includes:
- Antibiotics
- Fluids through a vein (IV)
- Pain medicines
- Tube through the nose into the stomach or intestine (nasogastric or NG tube)
Office
Beth Piraino is a Nephrologist practicing medicine in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Dr. Piraino is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Secondary Peritonitis. She is also highly rated in 3 other conditions, according to our data. Her clinical expertise encompasses Secondary Peritonitis, Chronic Kidney Disease, End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), and Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (aHUS).
Reading Hospital
David Sacks is a Radiologist practicing medicine in West Reading, Pennsylvania. Dr. Sacks is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Secondary Peritonitis. He is also highly rated in 9 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Peritonitis, Secondary Peritonitis, Retroperitoneal Inflammation, Bone Graft, and Vertebroplasty. Dr. Sacks is board certified in American Board Of Radiology.
Reading Hospital
Christoph Pohl is a Radiologist practicing medicine in West Reading, Pennsylvania. Dr. Pohl is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Secondary Peritonitis. He is also highly rated in 13 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Peritonitis, Secondary Peritonitis, Ascites, Bone Graft, and Vertebroplasty. Dr. Pohl is board certified in American Board Of Radiology.
The outcome can range from complete recovery to overwhelming infection and death. Factors that determine the outcome include:
- How long the symptoms were present before treatment began
- The person's general health
Complications may include:
- Abscess
- Gangrene (dead) bowel requiring surgery
- Intraperitoneal adhesions (a potential cause of future bowel blockage)
- Septic shock
Contact your provider if you have symptoms of peritonitis. This is a serious condition. It needs emergency treatment in most cases.
Summary: To evaluate whether a postoperative therapeutic strategy, Fast Track, aimed at shortening hospital stay in pediatric patients undergoing laparoscopic appendectomy for complicated acute appendicitis, yields outcomes that are not inferior to the standard therapeutic model in terms of the combined variable of adverse events within 30 days postoperatively (including postoperative abdominal abscess, pe...
Summary: The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if synbiotics work to lower inflammation in adults with chronic kidney disease who are on peritoneal dialysis. Synbiotics are daily capsules that contain a mix of probiotics (good bacteria) and prebiotics (fiber that feeds good bacteria). The main questions it aims to answer are: Do synbiotics lower the level of inflammation markers in the blood? Do synb...
Published Date: April 27, 2026
Published By: Todd Eisner, MD, Private practice specializing in Gastroenterology in Boca Raton and Delray Beach, Florida at Gastroenterology Consultants of Boca Raton. Affiliate Assistant Professor, Florida Atlantic University School of Medicine. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Bush LM, Levison ME. Peritonitis and intraperitoneal abscesses. In: Blaser MJ, Cohen JI, Holland SM, eds. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2026:chap 76.
Mathews JB, Turaga K. Surgical peritonitis and other diseases of the peritoneum, mesentery, omentum, and diaphragm. In: Chung RT, Rubin DT, Wilcox CM, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 12th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2026:chap 37.