178 DISEASES OF THE PERITONEUM 



times provided the patient eats and is allowed ample nourish- 

 ment to compensate for the loss of albumin. Omentopexy is 

 employed in human practice. This is the operation of sutur- 

 ing the omentum to the abdominal wall, securing anastomotic 

 communication between the portal system and that of the 

 vena cava, thus producing a collateral "circulation between 

 the portal and general circulation. 



TUMORS OF THE PERITONEUM. 



Carcinoma and occasionally melanotic sarcomas occur in 

 the peritoneum. On the visceral peritoneum fibromas, lip- 

 omas, and myxomas are occasionally seen. 



Symptoms. — ^The symptoms of tumors of the peritoneum 

 are usually too vague for diagnosis. When generalized car- 

 cinomatosis is present the patient becomes cachectic and 

 shows ascites, which would lead to the suspicion that the 

 peritoneum was involved. In horses and cattle the tumor 

 may sometimes be palpated through the rectum. 



Treatment. — Treatment is rarely possible, although benign 

 tumors might be removed surgically. 



ANIMAL PARASITES IN THE PERITONEUM. 



Horse.- — The Filaria papillosa is commonly found in the 

 peritoneum of horses. The larvae of sclerostomes also occur. 

 They are commonly encapsuled, or more rarely adult speci- 

 mens are found free in the abdominal cavity. 



Sheep: — In sheep the Cysticercus tenuicoUis is very fre- 

 quent and may lead to acute peritonitis. It appears as large, 

 hickory-nut to walnut-sized cysts surrounded by peritoneum. 

 The neck of the parasite is inverted into the cyst. Liver 

 flukes are also occasionally found in the peritoneum of sheep. 



Swine. — In swine the Stephenurus dentatus, a thread-like 

 parasite, is not uncommon. More rarely echinococci and the 

 Cysticercus tenuicollis occur. 



Digitized by Microsoft® 



