[Complex pelviperineal injuries: systematization of the treatment]

The authors review the cases of complex pelviperineal injuries admitted to the Emergency Service of the Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo during the period 1983-1988. The management of these patients followed a protocol that consisted of: exhaustive lavage of the injury with extensive debridement, leaving the wound widely unsutured, matured loop colostomy, lavage of the distal colon, scheduled revisions at 48 to 72 hour intervals, intensive antibiotic treatment and early total parenteral nutrition. Thirty one patients were treated following these procedures, with a decrease in mortality due to sepsis from 50% to 16.1%.