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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffSigns and symptoms of peritonitis include:
- Abdominal pain or tenderness
- Bloating or a feeling of fullness (distention) in your abdomen
- Fever
- Nausea and vomiting
- Loss of appetite
- Diarrhea
- Low urine output
- Thirst
- Inability to pass stool or gas
- Fatigue
If you're receiving peritoneal dialysis, peritonitis symptoms also include:
- Cloudy dialysis fluid
- White flecks, strands or clumps (fibrin) in the dialysis fluid
When to see a doctor
Peritonitis can be life-threatening if it's not treated promptly. Contact your doctor immediately if you have severe pain or tenderness of your abdomen, abdominal bloating, or a feeling of fullness associated with:
- Fever
- Nausea and vomiting
- Low urine output
- Thirst
- Inability to pass stool or gas
If you're receiving peritoneal dialysis, contact your health care provider immediately if your dialysis fluid is cloudy, if it contains white flecks, strands or clumps (fibrin), or if it has an unusual odor, especially if the area around your tube (catheter) is red or painful. These may be signs of peritonitis.
- Rangel SJ, et al. Peritonitis. In: Long SS, et al. Principles and Practice of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7020-3468-8..50075-4&isbn=978-0-7020-3468-8&uniqId=252862957-3#4-u1.0-B978-0-7020-3468-8..50075-4. Accessed May 30, 2011.
- Prasad AG, et al. Peritonitis, secondary. In: Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2011: Instant Diagnosis and Treatment. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2011. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05610-6..C2009-0-38600-6--TOP&isbn=978-0-323-05610-6&about=true&uniqId=230100505-53. Accessed May 30, 2011.
- Treating kidney failure with peritoneal dialysis. National Kidney Foundation. http://www.kidney.org/patients/plu/plu_pd/pd_8.cfm. Accessed May 30, 2011.
- Runyon BA. Treatment and prophylaxis of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 30, 2011.
- Acute abdominal pain. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/sec02/ch011/ch011b.html. Accessed May 30, 2011.
- Fort GG, et al. Peritonitis, spontaneous bacterial. In: Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2011: Instant Diagnosis and Treatment. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2011. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05610-6..C2009-0-38600-6--TOP&isbn=978-0-323-05610-6&about=true&uniqId=230100505-53. Accessed May 30, 2011.
- Picco MF (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. June 13, 2011.
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