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Basics
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Summary
Your peritoneum is the tissue that lines your abdominal wall and covers most of the organs in your abdomen. A liquid, peritoneal fluid, lubricates the surface of this tissue.
Disorders of the peritoneum are not common. They include:
- Peritonitis - an inflammation of the peritoneum
- Cancer
- Complications from peritoneal dialysis
Your doctor may use imaging tests or lab tests to analyze the peritoneal fluid to diagnose the problem. Treatment of peritoneal disorders depends on the cause.
Diagnosis and Tests
- Abdominal exploration - series (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Abdominal Ultrasound (American College of Radiology; Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
Related Issues
- Ascites: A Common Problem in People with Cirrhosis (American College of Gastroenterology)
- Familial Mediterranean Fever (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
- Peritoneal Ports (American College of Radiology; Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
Specifics
-
Peritoneal Cystic Mesothelioma
(Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center)
-
Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome
(Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center)
Also in Spanish
Clinical Trials
-
ClinicalTrials.gov: Peritoneal Diseases
(National Institutes of Health)
-
ClinicalTrials.gov: Peritonitis
(National Institutes of Health)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
Patient Handouts
- Peritonitis (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Peritonitis - secondary (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Peritonitis - spontaneous bacterial (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Retroperitoneal inflammation (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health.