| This is a review article about the peritoneum anatomy and function, pathophysiology of the peritoneal injury, and evaluation of the normal peritoneal fluid. Normal values are compared to those obtained in experimental model of induced peritoneal inflammation that were developed in Brazil to study several aspects of peritonitis in horses, specially those associated with clinical and/or surgical complications of colic. It also discusses data related to cellularity, biochemical and anatornicopathological methods, as well as the quantitative evaluation of cytokines in the peritoneal fluid of these models. |
