Management of Peritonitis

Running head: MANAGEMENT OF PERITONITIS 1
Management of Peritonitis
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation

MANAGEMENT OF PERITONITIS 2
Introduction
The case study is about Ms. Melody King who has Peritonitis due to her ruptured
appendix. The disease occurs when an individual’s peritoneum undergoes inflammation (See et
al., 2017). Peritoneum covers the interior section of the abdomen. Abdominal organs depend on
the tissue for support and protection. The essay applies clinical reasoning cycle to offer person-
centered care to the patient. The three priority problems in the case study include: treatment to
rectify the abdominal pain, raised White Blood Cells (WBC) and nausea.
The reasoning cycle begins by considering the situation of the patient (Liaw et al., 2018).
Ms. Melody is a Peritonitis patient, and her condition arises from the rapture of the appendix.
The second point in the cycle involves the collection of relevant information about the patient.
The patient has a history of depression and asthma. She has elevated temperature and low blood
pressure. The paper will process the data, identify the problems and establish the goals of
treatment. The essay will also discuss the actions and evaluate the outcome.
Consideration of Ms. Melody’s Situation
Ms. Melody King is a 36-year old who has been presented to the emergency department.
She has a ruptured appendix which has caused peritonitis. Her condition has caused severe
abdominal pain, and she requires surgery to remove the ruptured appendix. Ms. King has a past
medical history of depression and asthma. Her current medications include Seretide, Ventolin,
and sertraline. She has elevated temperature readings and is also complaining of nausea.
Information about Peritonitis
Pathology
A healthy peritoneum is a glistering and a grayish organ before infection. However,
peritonitis infection makes peritoneum to become dull within two to four hours (Sato et al.,

MANAGEMENT OF PERITONITIS 3
2017). The healthy abdominal lining has little thick fluid and a scarce serous. The progression of
the disease makes the exudates to turn into a creamy and suppurative liquid. Dehydrated
peritonitis patients register incidences of inspissations. The amount of exudates fluctuates
depending on the patient. The fluid can occupy the entire peritoneum or reside in the Viscera and
Omentum. Inflammation occurs due to neutrophil infiltration. The elevation in the fluid levels
explains the raised WBC in the pathology results.
Causes of Peritonitis
Peritonitis occurs due to peritoneum inflammation (Danvath, & Matta, 2016). The
peritoneum is a membrane that covers the inner wall of the abdomen. Therefore, the peritoneum
protects the abdominal organs from chemical and physical injury. The inflammation occurs due
to fungal or bacterial infection. A rupture in the abdomen causes the disease. Some medical
conditions also cause the disease. The disease requires urgent treatment to rectify the abdominal
problem. The treatment is through surgery or administration of antibiotics. The symptoms of the
disease include abdominal pain and nausea (Ramachandra, 2017). The patient feels fatigued and
thirsty. Moreover, the condition leads to diarrhea and bloating. In some cases, the patient finds
difficulty in defecation.
Causes of Abdominal Rupture
The abdomen can rapture due to pancreatitis. The complication causes the inflammation
of the pancreas. The swelling is due to further infection of the pancreas (Metcalfe et al., 2016).
Peritonitis occurs when the bacteria that cause pancreatitis moves to the abdomen. Trauma is the
second cause of the rupture. The injury allows chemicals or bacteria to move into the peritoneum
from other body organs. Diverticulitis causes abdominal separation by allowing waste from the
intestines to gain access to the abdominal cavity.