peritoneal

Pertaining to the peritoneum.

• continuous ambulatory p. dialysis — the use of an indwelling catheter with external tubing that is strapped to the body wall when not being used for infusion and drainage of the dialysate fluid.
• p. cysts — include vestigial remnants of primordial urogenital organs, cestode intermediate stages, inclusion cysts or lymphatic ectasia.
• p. dialysis — the employment of the peritoneum surrounding the abdominal cavity as a dialyzing membrane for the purpose of removing acumulated waste products or toxins. In veterinary medicine, the main indication is acute, reversible renal failure. Certain crystalloids such as urea, creatinine and electrolytes, and some drugs, such as the salicylates, bromides and barbiturates, can be removed.
— Fluid equal in osmolarity and similar in chemical composition to normal body fluid is introduced into the peritoneal cavity via a catheter. After a period of time (‘dwell time’) determined by the molecular weight of the substance being used as the dialyzing solution, the fluid is drained and the cycle repeated.
• p. implantation — attachment and growth of other tissues to the peritoneum, e.g. a fetus escaped from the genital tract, direct metastasis of malignant tumors.
• p. lavage — see abdominal lavage.
• p. lymph — the fluid normally present in very small amount in the peritoneal cavity.
• p. membrane — see peritoneum.