A Study to Evaluate the Challenge of Abdominal Sepsis

Background: Abdominal infections cover a variety of pathological conditions, ranging from appendicitis to contaminated, dirty fecal peritonitis. Sepsis is a complex, multifactorial process that if improperly treated can progress to conditions of varying severity with functional impairment of one or more vital organs or systems, finally could lead to multiple organ failure. Abdominal sepsis is associated with significant morbidity and mortality rates. It is the most common cause of sepsis-related mortality in the surgical ICU. This is a major challenge faced by the emergency surgeon everyday. Methods: A total of 2150 patients with abdominal infections have been observed and the data analyzed since 2010at a single tertiary center. The key steps in the management of complicated intra-abdominal infections are source control, hemodynamic support and relevant antibiotic regimen. Results: Antimicrobial management is generally not standardized and many regimens, either with monotherapy or combination therapy, are used without having proven their efficacy. Well designed protocols are required to handle this complex situation encountered by the surgeon. Conclusion: Recent advances in the technology of investigation are assisting at arriving at the diagnosis early.