Intensive care for post-operative intraabdominal infections

Underestimated frequency: Post-operative intraabdominal infections usually appear as abscesses or injury of the bowel, either alone or in combination. These complications of frequently underestimated frequency are characteriz ed by high mortality. Improvement of their prognosis is obtained by early r ecognition of the complication and a multidiscipiinary approach. Alarm signs: In a patient who recently underwent abdominal surgery, the ons et of abnormal signs must be considered as an alarm which imposes ruling ou t intraabdominal complications. Unexplained multiple organ failure or septi c shock in the post-operative period of intraabdominal surgery must lead to considering explorative laparotomy. Therapeutics: Etiologic treatment must be ideal and total from the first re operation. Antibiotic therapy administered from the surgical reoperation mu st be different from previous treatments. This treatment is aimed at eradic ating enterobacteriaceae, non-fermenting Cram negative aerobes, Cram positi ve cocci, anaerobes and fungi.