A woman who had a cesarean section several weeks previously was recovering well until she began to gain weight rapidly and had great distention of the abdominal cavity. Other symptoms include abdominal tenderness and soreness. What is likely to be the problem this woman is experiencing and what is the most likely cause?

What will be an ideal response?


It is likely that this woman has a condition called peritonitis, or an inflammation of the peritoneal lining of the
abdominal cavity, resulting from infection she acquired during the surgery. The irritation of the peritoneum is the cause of all of the additional fluid secretion, and if the intra-abdominal pressure becomes too high, damage may be done to some organs, such as the kidneys, which are sensitive to increased abdominal pressures.

Anatomy & Physiology

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