Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (patient information)

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Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis

Overview

What are the symptoms?

What are the causes?

Who is at highest risk?

Diagnosis

When to seek urgent medical care?

Treatment options

Diseases with similar symptoms

Where to find medical care for Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis?

Prevention

What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?

Possible complications

Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis On the Web

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Assistant Editor-in-Chief: Meagan E. Doherty

Overview

Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is a form of peritonitis that occurs in patients with cirrhosis. It occurs in 10-30% of hospitalized patients with ascites, and can cause marked decompensation of the liver disease, with other complications and death occurring frequently. Peritonitis is swelling (inflammation) of the peritoneum -- the tissue that lines the wall of the abdomen and covers the abdominal organs.

What are the symptoms of Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis?

Symptoms of Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis include:

Other symptoms include:

What causes Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis?

Spontaneous peritonitis is usually caused by ascites, a collection of fluid in the peritoneal cavity. This usually occurs from liver or kidney failure. Risk factors for liver disease include alcoholic cirrhosis and other diseases that lead to cirrhosis, such as viral hepatitis (Hepatitis B or C). Spontaneous peritonitis also occurs in patients who are on dialysis for kidney failure.

Who is at highest risk?

Risk Factors include:

Diagnosis

Tests that show infection:

Other tests:

  • Abdominal imaging studies (to rule out other causes of abdominal pain)

When to seek urgent medical care?

Call your health care provider if you have symptoms of peritonitis. This can quickly become an emergency situation.

Treatment options

Treatment depends on the cause of the peritonitis.

You may need to stay in the hospital so health care providers can rule out other causes of peritonitis, such as appendicitis and diverticulitis.

Diseases with similar symptoms

Where to find medical care for Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis?

Directions to Hospitals Treating Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis

Prevention of Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis

Patients with peritoneal catheters should be treated with sterile techniques. In cases of liver failure, antibiotics may help prevent peritonitis from coming back.

What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?

The infection can usually be treated. However, kidney or liver disease may limit recovery.

Possible complications

Sources

References

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