Final answer:
Excessive intra-peritoneal fluid accumulation can lead to peritonitis, which is inflammation of the peritoneum. This condition is life-threatening, requiring emergency surgery and intensive antibiotic therapy. Advancements in surgery, anesthesia safety, critical care, and antibiotics have improved the survival rate of peritonitis.
Step-by-step explanation:
Fluid Accumulation in the Peritoneal Cavity
Excessive intra-peritoneal fluid accumulation can lead to a condition called peritonitis, which is inflammation of the peritoneum. This can occur when the wall of the alimentary canal is breached, allowing the contents of the lumen to enter the peritoneal cavity. For example, when an ulcer perforates the stomach wall, gastric juices spill into the peritoneal cavity. Other causes include ruptured tubal pregnancy, traumatic injury to the liver or spleen, bacterial infections from appendicitis or colonic diverticulitis, and pelvic inflammatory disease.
Peritonitis is life-threatening and often requires emergency surgery and intensive antibiotic therapy. In the past, mortality rates from peritonitis were high, but advancements in surgery, anesthesia safety, critical care, and antibiotics have greatly improved the survival rate. However, the mortality rate still ranges from 30 to 40 percent.