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Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis during bowel preparation: an example of clinical translocation
1Department of Surgery, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson 39216.
Southern Medical Journal
|November 1, 1991
Abstract:
During oral colonic lavage in preparation for colonoscopy, a patient had peritonitis in the absence of visceral perforation. Spontaneous peritonitis after mechanical bowel preparation has not been reported previously, and must be extremely rare. I speculate that it was due to translocation of bacteria from the gut to the peritoneal cavity.
Insights
Spontaneous peritonitis occurred in a patient undergoing bowel preparation for colonoscopy without any perforation. This extremely rare event may be caused by gut bacteria translocating to the peritoneal cavity.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Abdominal Surgery
- Microbiology
Background:
- Mechanical bowel preparation is standard for colonoscopy.
- Oral colonic lavage is a common method for bowel cleansing.
- Peritonitis typically results from visceral perforation or surgical contamination.
Observation:
- A patient developed peritonitis after oral colonic lavage.
- No evidence of visceral perforation was found.
- The peritonitis was spontaneous in the context of bowel preparation.
Findings:
- This represents a previously unreported complication of mechanical bowel preparation.
- The incidence of spontaneous peritonitis following bowel preparation is extremely low.
- Bacterial translocation from the gut lumen to the peritoneal cavity is hypothesized as the cause.
Implications:
- Highlights a rare but serious potential complication of colonoscopy preparation.
- Suggests the need for vigilance for non-perforative peritonitis in patients undergoing bowel lavage.
- Further research may elucidate the mechanisms of bacterial translocation in this context.