Final answer:
The correct signs and symptoms suggesting peritonitis are severe abdominal pain, rebound tenderness, and fever. Peritonitis is a serious inflammation of the peritoneum typically requiring emergency surgery and antibiotics, with a notable mortality rate despite medical advancements.
Step-by-step explanation:
Peritonitis is an inflammation of the peritoneum, the tissue that lines the inner wall of the abdomen and covers and supports most of your abdominal organs. Signs and symptoms to watch for, which may indicate peritonitis, include severe abdominal pain, rebound tenderness, and fever.
This life-threatening condition can result from ruptures or perforations in the abdomen, such as those caused by gastric ulcers, appendicitis, colonic diverticulitis, or pelvic inflammatory disease. Patients with peritonitis may require emergency surgery and intensive antibiotic therapy to treat the underlying problem, and remain vulnerable to a significant mortality rate, even with advancements in medical care.