An Experience Of Percutaneous Peritoneal Drainage In High-Risk Perforated Peritonitis In General Surgical Ward Of...

Although conservative treatment has shown a good reduction in mortality and morbidity the majority of patients still need definitive surgery to get rid of the disease completely. It is of note that immediate laparotomy in high-risk patients who have a prolonged history or have multiple comorbidities or in organ failure is not advisable as it is associated with higher morbidity and mortality, besides improved postoperative intensive care.

We categorized these high-risk patients based on their comorbidities and then performed percutaneous peritoneal lavage to reduce the septic load from the peritoneal cavity before performing the definite procedure.

Out of the high-risk patients who survived after the PPD and underwent definitive surgery, 61% survived (n=8/13) while the rest of these, 38.5% expired (n=5).

Percutaneous peritoneal drainage initially instituted in high-risk patients to optimize their pre-op condition significantly, improves the outcome and has better results than to operate on such patients straightaway.