A hole in your gastrointestinal system or gallbladder can lead to peritonitis. Peritonitis is inflammation of the membrane that lines the abdominal cavity.

It occurs when any of the following enters the abdominal cavity:

• bacteria
• bile
• stomach acid
• partially digested food
• stool

GP is a medical emergency that requires immediate medical care. The condition is life-threatening. Chances of recovery improve with early diagnosis and treatment.

This condition is also known as intestinal perforation or perforation of the intestines.

Symptoms:

• severe stomach pain
• chills
• fever
• nausea
• vomiting

When you’ve had a gastrointestinal perforation and peritonitis occurs, the abdomen feels very tender. Pain often worsens when someone touches or palpates the area or when the patient moves. Pain is generally better when lying still. The abdomen may stick outward farther than normal and feel hard.

In addition to the general symptoms of perforation, symptoms of peritonitis may include:

• fatigue
• passing less urine, stools, or gas
• shortness of breath
• a fast heartbeat
• dizziness

• appendicitis, which is more common among older persons
• diverticulitis, which is a digestive disease
• a stomach ulcer
• gallstones
• gallbladder infection
• inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, which is less common
• inflamed diverticulum, which is a congenital abnormality of the small intestine that’s similar to the appendix
• cancer in the gastrointestinal tract

The condition may also be due to:

• blunt trauma to the abdomen
• a knife or gunshot wound to the abdomen
• abdominal surgery
• stomach ulcers due to taking aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and steroids (more common in older adults)
• ingestion of foreign objects or caustic substances

Smoking and excessive use of alcohol increase your risk of GP.

Rarely, the condition may occur due to bowel injuries from an endoscopy or colonoscopy.

In most cases, surgery is necessary to close the hole and treat the condition. The goals of the surgery are to:

• fix the anatomical problem
• fix the cause of peritonitis
• remove any foreign material in the abdominal cavity that might cause problems, such as feces, bile, and food

In rare cases, your doctor may forgo surgery and prescribe antibiotics alone if the hole closed on its own.

Sometimes, a piece of the intestine will need removal. The removal of a portion of either the small or large intestine may result in a colostomy or ileostomy, which allows intestinal contents to drain or empty into a bag attached to your abdominal wall.

• bleeding
• sepsis, which is a life-threatening bacterial infection
• abscesses in the belly
• a wound infection
• a bowel infarction, which is the death of part of the bowel
• a permanent ileostomy or colostomy