The medical and surgical management of acute abdominal complications in neutropenic cancer patient: description of 21 cases

Because of the lark of specificity of gastrointestinal tract symptoms and o f imaging studies findings in one hand, and because of a presumed high risk of complications in the other hand, surgical management of acute abdomen i n neutropenic patients remains very controversial The purpose of the study is to review our experience with management of acute abdomen. The records o f 21 neutropenic patients admitted in the intensive care unit for postopera tive management or for evaluation and diagnosis of abdominal symptoms were reviewed. Thirteen patients underwent surgery 8 did not. Peritoneal signs o n physical examination were correlated with positive laparotomies, the sens itivity was 71% and the specificity was 50%. Seven of the 13 operated patie nts survived the surgical procedure (54%; while 37,5% of the non operative group survived. The surgical treatment may be safely carried out in neutrop enic patients with an acute abdomen and represent sometimes the only way to assure proper treatment.