[Generalized peritonitis of non-traumatic colonic origin. Reflexions on 62 cases]

The authors analyze sixty-two cases of acute generalized peritonitis with a non-traumatic colonic etiology. They point out that the prognosis depends on three main factors: the age of the patient, the time spent in diagnosis and the therapeutic difficulties. They recommend a gastrographin colonic enema to obtain earlier diagnosis, in the absence of radiological evidence of pneumoperitoneum, in elderly patients presenting with abdominal signs. They also recommend multistage surgical management combining effective drainage of the abdominal cavity with resection of the perforated segment of the colon, whenever there is extensive damage to the colon, or in the presence of a tumor. In their view, conservative surgery should be confined to strictly selected cases not involving tissue resection. These indications are essential if a satisfactory result is to be achieved.