Home/Topics/General Medical Terms/peritoneal cavity General Medical Terms Digestive System & Nutrition peritoneal cavity Listen Save Share Print Meaning of peritoneal cavity: The space within the abdomen that contains the intestines, the stomach, and the liver. Definition of peritoneal cavity The space within the abdomen that contains the intestines, the stomach, and the liver. It is bound by thin membranes. Written and maintained by James Murray · Last updated July 21, 2026 Educational reference, not medical advice. Read the limitations. Keep exploringRelated termsMore in General Medical Terms → Diseases & Disorders Crohn disease Full-thickness, patchy inflammation is what separates it from ulcerative colitis, and it explains the fistulas and narrowings that follow. Read definition → Symptoms, Signs & Side Effects diarrhea Duration does much of the diagnostic work, separating a short lived infection from a long standing problem inside the gut. Read definition → Laboratory, Pathology & Biomarkers aspartate transaminase A raised result announces that cells somewhere have been damaged without saying which cells, which is why it is never read alone. Read definition → Procedures & Surgery colonoscopy The only bowel test that both finds a polyp and removes it, which is why it prevents cancer rather than merely detecting it. Read definition →
Diseases & Disorders Crohn disease Full-thickness, patchy inflammation is what separates it from ulcerative colitis, and it explains the fistulas and narrowings that follow. Read definition →
Symptoms, Signs & Side Effects diarrhea Duration does much of the diagnostic work, separating a short lived infection from a long standing problem inside the gut. Read definition →
Laboratory, Pathology & Biomarkers aspartate transaminase A raised result announces that cells somewhere have been damaged without saying which cells, which is why it is never read alone. Read definition →
Procedures & Surgery colonoscopy The only bowel test that both finds a polyp and removes it, which is why it prevents cancer rather than merely detecting it. Read definition →