[Gastrointestinal complication after open cardiac operation]

Seven cases of abdominal complications necessitated laparotomies within 30 days after open heart surgery are presented. They consist of five cases of mesenteric infarction, one acalculous cholecystitis and one hemorrhagic ulcer of the rectum. The incidence is 0.9 percent at our institute. They also had a very complex course after their cardiac surgery such as cardiogenic shock, respiratory failure and renal failure prior to the development of their acute surgical abdomen. It is proposed that the cause of acute abdomen is attributed basically to the low cardiac output state. Surgery must be performed without delay because unnecessary passage of time is accompanied by unacceptable mortality rate.