Peritoneum (Human Anatomy): Image, Functions, Diseases and Treatments

A membrane known as peritoneum lines inside of your pelvis and abdomen (parietal layer). It also encloses a number of your inside organs (visceral layer). Your peritoneal cavity is the term used to describe the area between these layers. The momentum that hangs down of your abdomen, and your mesentery in the rear are two folds of tissue that form double layers.

The peritoneum is indeed a membrane, a flat piece of tissue that surrounds your pelvic cavity and covers your internal organs in your abdomen. It protects, cushions, and holds your organs in position while also secreting a lubricant to lessen friction when they brush against one another. The visceral peritoneum encircles your organs, and the parietal peritoneum borders the walls of your abdomen and pelvis. The area between your peritoneal cavity and your abdomen

The peritoneum is a thin layer of tissue that coats the lining of the abdomen and protects the internal organs. It serves a few vital activities in the body:

• Protection: The peritoneum helps to protect the organs inside the abdomen from injury or infection. It acts as a barrier between the organs and the outside world.
• Support: The peritoneum serves to maintain the organs in place and prevents them from moving about excessively. It aids in the organisation and placement of everything within the abdomen.
• Lubrication: The peritoneum produces a small amount of fluid that helps to lubricate the organs and keep them moving smoothly. This is especially important for organs like the intestines, which move a lot as they digest food.
• Absorption: The peritoneum is also able to absorb certain substances, such as fluids or medicine, into the bloodstream. This helps the body to use these substances and helps to keep us healthy.

So, to sum it up, the peritoneum is a special tissue inside the belly that helps to protect and support the organs, keeps them moving smoothly, and helps the body use important substances. It's an important part of the body that helps us stay healthy and strong.

Your diaphragm and pelvic floor are separated by your abdominopelvic cavity. Your pelvic cavity and abdominal cavity are part of it. The walls of this space are lined with your parietal peritoneum. Your stomach, liver, spleen, and a portion of your small intestines are just a few of the abdominal organs that are encircled by your visceral peritoneum. 'Intraperitoneal' refers to organs that are located inside your visceral peritoneum. 'Retroperitoneal' describes the other kind.

A very thin layer of tissue known as the peritoneum lines the interior of the abdominal cavity, often known as the belly. It protects the stomach, intestines, and other organs located within the belly. The peritoneum is composed of two tissue layers.

The inner layer is known as the visceral peritoneum, and it directly covers the organs. The inner surface of the abdominal wall is covered by the parietal peritoneum, which is the outermost layer of the peritoneum.

The peritoneum also has many small blood vessels, nerves, and lymphatic vessels running through it. These help to keep the peritoneum healthy and functioning properly.

So, to sum it up, the peritoneum is a thin layer of tissue inside the belly that covers the organs and is made up of two layers: the inner layer called the visceral peritoneum and the outer layer called the parietal peritoneum.

• Peritoneal adhesions: When connective tissue forms between adjacent peritoneal cells and fibrous tissue, leading to obstruction of intestinal or urinary flow.
• Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP): A more common form of peritonitis in which the bacteria that lives in your intestines spreads from your intestines to your peritoneum. In SBP, you may have no symptoms at first.
• Secondary bacterial peritonitis: A less common form of SBP in which the bacteria that lives in your intestines spreads from your intestine to other parts of your body, not just your peritoneum.
• Peritonitis in chronic ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD): A potentially serious complication of CAPD in which the peritoneum becomes infected.CAPD is a treatment for kidney failure that uses peritoneal dialysis to clean and remove the waste products from your blood.
• Endometriosis: The endometrium, the tissue that borders the uterus, develops outside the uterus in this disease. Endometriosis can lead to peritonitis, an infection of the peritoneum (the thin membrane that surrounds your abdominal organs).
• Ascites: Fluid accumulation in the abdominal cavity (usually in the lower part of your abdomen, but can also occur in the chest or pelvis). Ascites is a common condition, and it can cause peritonitis, a condition in which the peritoneum (the thin membrane that covers your abdominal organs) becomes infected.
• Intraperitoneal abscesses: These are caused by bacteria that enter the peritoneum through a wound or an abscess in the skin.
• Tuberculous peritonitis: A type of peritonitis caused by tuberculosis (a lung infection). Tuberculous peritonitis is a serious condition in which the peritoneum (the thin membrane that covers your abdominal organs) becomes infected.
• Peritoneal cysts: Right beneath the peritoneum cysts. Although peritoneal cysts are uncommon, they can be fatal if not treated right away.
• Chylolymphatic (Mesenteric Cyst): A rare condition in which fluid accumulates in the abdomen due to a blockage in the flow of lymph from your small and large intestines. If you develop peritonitis and have signs or symptoms of a chylolymphatic cyst, such as fever, pain inside your abdomen, or difficulty breathing, you should get treatment as soon as possible.
• Uro-genital remnant infection: A type of sexually transmitted infection (STI) that can cause peritonitis. Uro-genital remnant infections are a common cause of peritonitis, and they can be deadly if not treated quickly. If you develop signs or symptoms of uro-genital remnant infection, such as fever, pain inside your abdomen, or difficulty breathing, you should get treatment as soon as possible.
• Lipomatosis: A condition in which fat accumulates in the peritoneum or other parts of the body. Lipomatosis is a rare condition, and it usually causes no symptoms. If you develop signs or symptoms of lipomatosis, such as fever, pain inside your abdomen, or difficulty breathing, you should get treatment as soon as possible.
• Mesothelioma: A type of cancer that can form in the peritoneum. Mesothelioma is a very rare cancer, and it usually causes no symptoms. If you develop signs or symptoms of mesothelioma, such as fever, pain inside your abdomen, or difficulty breathing, you should get treatment as soon as possible.
• Pseudomyxoma: Cancer that can develop in the peritoneum. Pseudomyxoma is an extremely rare malignancy that normally has no symptoms. If you develop signs or symptoms of pseudomyxoma, such as fever, pain inside your abdomen, or difficulty breathing, you should get treatment as soon as possible.

• Abdominal ultrasound: A sound wave imaging test that looks inside the abdomen. This test can assist doctors in diagnosing organ abnormalities in the abdomen, such as fluid collection or infection.
• Abdominal CT scan: A type of CT scan that uses x-rays to image the inside of the abdomen.
• This test can help doctors see whether there is any damage to the organs in the abdomen and whether any foreign objects are present.
• Peritoneal dialysis: Dialysis in which peritoneal fluid is used to clean and eliminate waste from the blood. Peritoneal dialysis is used to treat persons with renal failure who are unable to tolerate conventional Dialysis treatments.
• Abdominal exploration: A thorough look at the peritoneum as part of an examination of the inside of the abdomen. This test is used to figure out what's wrong with the organs in the belly, like an infection or a buildup of fluid.
• Abdominal x rays: X-rays are used to look at the organs and bones inside the body. X-rays of the abdomen can be used to find out if someone has a lot of different diseases, including cancer.
• MRI: An imaging test that uses powerful magnets and radio waves to create pictures of the inside of the body.MRI is used to look for problems with the brain, spine, and other organs in the body.
• CT scan: An x-ray-based variant of the CT scan that is used to image the interior of the body. CT scans are frequently used to screen for organ issues in the abdomen.
• Abdominal ultrasound: An imaging test that uses sound waves to look inside the abdomen. This test can help doctors diagnose problems with the organs in the abdomen, such as fluid accumulation or infection.
• Peritoneal fluid analysis: A test that measures the amount of peritoneal fluid in the blood. Peritoneal fluid analysis is used to diagnose peritoneal dialysis patients who experience rapid fluid accumulation.
• TLC count: A test that measures the number of white blood cells in the peritoneum. TLC count is used to diagnose peritoneal dialysis patients who experience rapid fluid accumulation.

• Combination Furosemide-Spironolactone therapy: A type of treatment that uses two medicines to reduce the amount of water in the peritoneum. This treatment is used to prevent peritoneal dialysis patients from experiencing rapid fluid accumulation.
• Peritoneal Lavage: A treatment that uses warm water and ice to remove excess fluid from the peritoneum. Peritoneal lavage is used to treat people with pseudomyxoma or other conditions that cause fluid accumulation in the peritoneum.
• Salpingectomy: A type of surgery that removes one or more of the fallopian tubes. Salpingectomy is used to treat women who have an accumulation of fluid in the peritoneum that is caused by ovarian cancer.
• Vasectomy: A type of surgery that removes one or more of the vas deferens. Vasectomy is used to prevent men from becoming father to children with inherited diseases.
• Exploratory laparotomy: A type of surgery that uses a larger, more difficult-to-use laparoscope to look inside the body. Exploratory laparotomy is used to treat a variety of conditions, including ovarian cancer.
• Enucleation: A type of surgery that removes a cancerous tumor or tissue from the body. Enucleation is used to treat some types of ovarian cancer.
• Anastomosis: A surgical procedure that connects two different parts of the body Anastomosis is used to connect a section of bowel that has been removed during surgery to the remaining intestine.
• Resection: A surgical procedure that removes a small area of tissue from the body. Resection is used to treat some types of ovarian cancer.

• Steroids for reducing inflammation of Peritoneum: Prednisone and other steroids can be used to minimise peritoneal inflammation. Examples include prednisolone, betamethasone, dexamethasone, hydrocortisone, and others.
• Anti-cancer drugs: Chemotherapy drugs or other anti-cancer drugs can be used to treat cancer in the peritoneum. One of the important drug used for this is Paclitaxel.
• Analgesics for pain in Peritoneum: Ibuprofen or acetaminophen are examples of painkillers that can be used to treat peritoneal pain. Acetaminophen, COX inhibitors, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs), including ibuprofen and naproxen, are beneficial treatments.
• Muscle relaxants for stiffness in Peritoneum: Carisoprodol, Baclofen, Methocarbamol, and other medications are examples of muscle relaxants for peritoneal stiffness.
• Antibiotics for infection in Peritoneum: Antibiotics are commonly used to treat infection in the peritoneum, with 3rd generation cephalosporin and fluoroquinolone, such as ciprofloxacin, as two examples of medications that are frequently prescribed.
• Nutritional supplements for reducing pain in Peritoneum: Some examples of nutritional supplements for lowering discomfort in the peritoneum include albumin, which is an important drug.
• Chemotherapeutic medicines for Peritoneum: Chemotherapeutic medications for the peritoneum include Altretamine, Carboplatin-Taxol, Gemcitabine-Cisplatin, and others.