Management of Postoperative Peritonitis in Low-Resources Services

Background. Postoperative peritonitis (PP) reminds one of the most difficult complications in abdominal surgery with mortality rate 22.3 – 90 %. Methods. In Ivano-Frankivsk Regional (tertiary level) Clinical Hospital (Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine) during 2010–2017 were operated 8762 patients with acute and chronic diseases of digestive system (appendicitis, pancreatitis, cholecystitis, bowel obstruction, complicated ulcer of upper gastrointestinal truck, mesenteric vessels thrombosis, abdominal adhesion diseases, hernia, Chron’s diseases, abdominal trauma), among them in 209 (2.4 %) patients developed PP. Local PP (abscess of abdominal cavity) had 142 (67.9 %), diffuse PP – 67 (42.1 %) patients. Results. Clear local symptoms of peritonitis were absent in 178 (85.1 %) of 209 patients. General complication, such as acute respiratory failure had 95 (45.5 %), cardiovascular insufficiency – 68 (32.5 %), hepato-renal dysfunction - 46 (22 %) patients with PP. 129 (61.7 %) patients were treated by minimally invasive approach: 24 patients had laparoscopic lavage with drain of abdominal cavity abscess and 105 - ultrasound guided drain of abscess with catheter. 80 (38.3 %) patients had re-laparotomy (RL): 61 (91 %) from 67 with diffuse PP, 19 (13.4 %) from 142 patients – with local PP. 46 (57.5 %) patients underwent one RL, 26 (32.5 %) – two, 8 (10 %) patients – three RL. With increasing numbers of RL, increase mortality rate: after first RL died 7 (15.2 %) of 46 patients, after second RL – 12 (63.2 %) of 19, after third RL 6 (75 %) of 8 patients. Conclusions. Together with standard surgical methods and precise technique were used lavage of abdominal cavity with 8 – 12 litres of antiseptic solutions, solution for peritoneal dialysis intraabdominally, nasointestinal drain tube, what was favourable for faster treatment of abdominal sepsis, reducing number of RL and postoperative mortality.