• Inflammation of the membrane that line the abdominal cavity and surrounds most abdominal organs.
  Harvard Dictionary of Health Terms
  Harvard Medical Publishing, 2011
• Inflammation of the peritoneum (tissue that lines the abdominal wall and covers most of the organs in the abdomen). Peritonitis can result from infection, injury, or certain diseases. Symptoms may include swelling of the abdomen, severe pain, and weight loss.
  NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms
  U.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
• Inflammation of the peritoneum due to infection by bacteria or fungi. Causes include liver disease, perforation of the gastrointestinal tract or biliary tract, and peritoneal dialysis. Patients usually present with abdominal pain and tenderness, fever, chills, and nausea and vomiting. It is an emergency medical condition that requires prompt medical attention and treatment.
  NCI Thesaurus
  U.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
• INFLAMMATION of the PERITONEUM lining the ABDOMINAL CAVITY as the result of infectious, autoimmune, or chemical processes. Primary peritonitis is due to infection of the PERITONEAL CAVITY via hematogenous or lymphatic spread and without intra-abdominal source. Secondary peritonitis arises from the ABDOMINAL CAVITY itself through RUPTURE or ABSCESS of intra-abdominal organs.
  NLM Medical Subject Headings
  U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021
• Peritonitis is inflammation of the peritoneum - a silk-like membrane that lines your inner abdominal wall and covers the organs within your abdomen - that is usually due to a bacterial or fungal infection. There are two types of peritonitis:
  Mayo Clinic
  Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Peritonitis, inflammation of the peritoneum, the membrane that lines the abdominal wall and then folds in to enclose the abdominal organs. The condition is marked by an accumulation of cells, pus, and other bodily fluids, such as serum and fibrin, in the peritoneal cavity (between the two folds of...
  Encyclopedia Britannica
  Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 2020