Inflammation of the peritoneum (the membrane lining the abdomen) that specifically affects the area around the liver.
From Greek 'hepato-' (liver) + 'peritonitis' (inflammation of the peritoneum, from 'perito-' meaning around + '-itis' meaning inflammation). This specific inflammation term became common in 19th-century medical texts describing localized abdominal infections.
The peritoneum is like your body's internal packing material—it lines everything in your abdomen and lets organs slide around smoothly. When infection reaches the liver specifically, doctors add 'hepato-' to specify exactly where the trouble is, like using coordinates on a map.
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