[Spontaneous and secondary bacterial peritonitis in cirrhotic patients with ascites]

Peritonitis is one of the most frequent infectious complications in patients with liver cirrhosis and ascites. In more than 95 % it occurs as spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) as a result of bacterial translocation from intestinal bacteria and bacterial products into mesenteric lymph nodes and subsequent systemic circulation. Identified risk factors that justify antibiotic prophylaxis for SBP include a prior episode of SBP, gastrointestinal haemorrhage and low ascitic fluid protein in combination with renal or advanced liver failure. SBP requires conservative therapy, which should be empirically performed using third-generation cephalosporins and adjunctive albumin therapy under consideration of individual and nosocomial risk factors for antimicrobial resistance. In contrast to SBP, secondary bacterial peritonitis is a rare ( < 5 % of all cases of peritonitis) and more unfavourable disease. It occurs as a result of hollow organ perforation or intra-abdominal inflammatory or ischaemic processes. Analysis of ascitic fluid may help substantiating the suspicion of secondary peritonitis and should entail a meticulous diagnostic work-up including abdominal computed tomography. Because of the high mortality rate (60 - 80 %) of secondary peritonitis antibiotic regimens with anti-anaerobic activity, prompt surgical treatment and interdisciplinary postoperative care are necessary to improve patient outcomes.