Prognostic factors of peritoneal infections in transplant patients

Twenty-eight cases of peritoneal infections occurring in 686 transplant patients (4%) are reported. The mortality was 78.5% (22 of 28 patients) and accounted for 13.2% of all transplant deaths. Recipients of cadaver kidneys were more prone to develop intraperitoneal infection, whereas the age, the presence of diabetes, and the tissue typing had no influence on the likelihood to develop intraperitoneal infections. Sixteen patients developed intraperitoneal infection secondary to the transplantation or another operation, whereas the intraperitoneal infection was due to a disease process unrelated to previous surgery in 12 patients. Only 64% of the patients presented with abdominal symptoms, 24 presented with septic shock, and 11 with a wound infection without peritoneal signs. The uncharacteristic clinical findings resulted in a delay of 8.7 days between the onset of symptoms and the recognition of the peritoneal infection and made a preoperative diagnosis possible in only 22 patients. It became clear that patients with generalized peritonitis, concomitant distant infections, opportunistics organisms in the peritoneal cavity, and the infections caused by postoperative complications have a poorer prognosis than the remainder of the group. Early recognition of the problem, especially after operation, and vigorous treatment seem to be the keys for improved results in the treatment of this serious condition.