intraabdominal infection /in′trə·abdom″inəl/ , a disease caused by organisms, usually bacterial or fungal, situated within the cavity of the abdomen. The infection may be in the retroperitoneal space or the peritoneal cavity and can arise as a result of surgery. Intraperitoneal infections may be diffuse or localized in one or more abscesses in recesses such as the pelvic space or perihepatic spaces. Abscesses also form about diseased viscera. Treatment depends on the type of infectious organism and the site of the infection.
