DEFINITION AND CLASSIFICATION OF PERITONITIS

Peritonitis is defined as the inflammation of the peritoneum or of a p art thereof,which may not necessarily be due to infection. Authors rev iew the classifications proposed in the Light of current etiopathogene tic, microbiologic and pathophysiologic concepts. The classification s uggested herein stems directly from the outline that was stated in Ham burg in 1987. A definition of primary, secondary and tertiary peritoni tis is given. At moment a thorough classification should be based on a integrated etiopathogenetic and pathologic approach.