Der Chirurg; Zeitschrift für alle Gebiete der operativen Medizen
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Despite intensive research efforts peritonitis leading to subsequent sepsis remains associated with a high mortality. The initial effector cells are the locally residing cells of the peritoneum, such as mesothelial cells, mast cells, macrophages and lymphocytes. Through the secretion of chemokines, an influx of neutrophils initially takes place followed by monocytes. ⋯ This is viewed as a concomitant derailing of inflammatory as well as anti-inflammatory responses, which leads to extensive apoptosis of lymphocytes. The presentation of apoptotic cells leads to a strong immunosuppression. Due to the coexistence of hyperinflammation and immunosuppression, exact knowledge of the current immune status of the patient is a prerequisite in the development of immunotherapies for the treatment of sepsis.
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Preoperative anemia has a prevalence of approximately 30% and is one of the strongest predictors of perioperative red blood cell (RBC) transfusion. It is rarely treated although it is an independent risk factor for the occurrence of postoperative complications. Additionally, the high variability in the worldwide usage of RBC transfusions is alarming. Due to these serious deficits in patient care, in 2011 the World Health Organization recommended the implementation of a patient blood management (PBM). ⋯ A PBM should be advocated as an incentive to evaluate and critically optimize local conditions. An individual, interdisciplinarily structured bundle of different PBM measures has great potential to optimize the quality of patient care and to make it safer.
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Secondary peritonitis remains associated with high mortality and morbidity rates. Treatment of secondary peritonitis is still challenging even in the era of modern medicine. Surgical intervention for source control remains the cornerstone of treatment besides adequate antimicrobial therapy and when necessary intensive medical care measures and resuscitation. A randomized clinical trial showed that relaparotomy on demand (ROD) after initial emergency surgery was the preferred treatment strategy, irrespective of the severity and extent of peritonitis. ⋯ The effective and safe use of ROD requires intensive monitoring of the patient in a setting where diagnostic tests and decision making about relaparotomy are guaranteed round the clock. The lack of knowledge on timely and adequate patient selection, together with the lack of use of easy but reliable monitoring tools seem to hamper full implementation of ROD. The accuracy of the relaparotomy decision tool is reasonable for prediction of the formation of peritonitis and necessary selection of patients for computed tomography (CT). The value of CT in the early postoperative phase is unclear. Future research and innovative technologies should focus on the additive value of CT after surgical treatment for secondary peritonitis and on the further optimization of bedside prediction tools to enhance adequate patient selection for interventions in a multidisciplinary setting.
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Postoperative peritonitis is still a life-threatening complication after abdominal surgery and approximately 10,000 patients annually develop postoperative peritonitis in Germany. Early recognition and diagnosis before the onset of sepsis has remained a clinical challenge as no single specific screening test is available. ⋯ After diagnosis of diffuse postoperative peritonitis surgical revision is usually inevitable after intestinal interventions. Peritonitis after liver, biliary or pancreatic surgery is managed as a rule by means of differentiated therapy approaches depending on the severity.