Intra-abdominal sepsis

Abstract

Postoperative infection has surpassed hemorrhage as the leading cause of mortality among surgical patients. Despite advances in diagnostic modalities, antibiotic therapy, and critical care medicine, mortality remains high. Intra-abdominal infection is defined as an inflammatory response of the peritoneum to microorganisms and their toxins, which results in purulent exudate in the abdominal cavity.1 The transition from intra-abdominal infection to intra-abdominal sepsis occurs when the domain of the local inflammatory process breaches the abdominal cavity and the patient develops the systemic, physiologic, and immunologic manifestations of inflammation. This chapter reviews the systemic response to inflammation, the causes of intra-abdominal sepsis, its diagnosis, and management. © 2010 Springer-Verlag US.