When choosing your peritonitis treatment, you should speak to your doctor about your specific condition, as your case of peritonitis might be different from others. Being knowledgeable about your condition enables you, in conjunction with your doctor, to make the best-informed decision about your treatment. You should be aware of the illness, be acquainted with the type of peritonitis that you have, and know what caused you to acquire the medical condition. In general, peritonitis treatment involves diagnosing and targeting the infection and, in some cases, an underlying medical condition as well. In general, peritonitis treatment usually includes taking antibiotics or undergoing surgery.
To make an informed decision about your peritonitis treatment options, you should understand the medical condition and recognize its different types and causes. Peritonitis is a life-threatening medical condition in which an inflammation of the peritoneum occurs as a result of a bacterial or fungal infection. The peritoneum itself is a membrane that lines the abdomen’s inner wall and covers the abdominal organs.
There are three types of peritonitis: spontaneous, secondary and dialysis-associated. Spontaneous peritonitis occurs as a result of fluid build-up that is vulnerable to bacterial infection. Secondary peritonitis arises because a different medical condition spreads an infection to the peritoneum. Lastly, dialysis-associated peritonitis occurs due to a bacterial or fungal infection received during peritoneal dialysis.
After your doctor diagnoses the cause of your condition, he will most likely prescribe an antibiotic to get rid of the infection. Depending on the severity of your condition, as well as any underlying causes, additional treatment options might be necessary. For example, you might need surgery to fix a medical condition, such as appendicitis, that caused your case of peritonitis. In addition, you might need to stay in the hospital and receive fluids through an intravenous (IV) therapy, or you might need medication to relieve pain.
Additional information that might help in your decision about peritonitis treatment is the prognosis of the medical condition, as well as the dangers of leaving the illness untreated. Although peritonitis is life-threatening, most individuals with spontaneous or dialysis-associated peritonitis do recover if treated properly. For those with secondary peritonitis, the outcome depends on the underlying medical condition that caused the illness to occur. Since peritonitis is caused by a bacterial or fungal infection, if it is left untreated, it can lead to complications such as a spread of the infection into the bloodstream or organ failure and septic shock.