[Problems of enterectomy for diffuse peritonitis in children (author's transl)]

An analysis was made of the author's own patients with diffuse perforative peritonitis (without appendicitis) in childhood. Most patients had a perforated enterocolitis. Treatment of choice: Resectioning the perforated areas of the intestine or Resectioning the intestine just before the perforation; anastomosis in the septic area should not be carried out, instead an enterostomy with two lumina should be performed; intensive therapy; therapy for sepsis with exchange transfusion. The reanastomazation should take place only after the patient has fully recovered; definite criteria for evaluation, when this is the case, were presented. The mortality rate for the author's cases was 46%; statistics taken from international literature indicate a mortality rate of 65%.