[Scheduled reinterventions in the treatment of acute peritonitis]

This is a clinical series of 83 cases, admitted in the Surgical Department of Fundeni Hospital between 1988-1996 of severe acute peritonitis in which scheduled reoperations (at least one planned reoperation at 24-48 hours after the first operation) were performed. The main criteria for scheduled reoperations were; unresolved source of contamination, acute peritonitis older than 48 hours and the presence of multiple system organ failures. 63 cases (76%) were postoperative peritonitis. 203 planned reoperations were performed (minimum: 1, maximum: 10, mean: 2,4 reoperations per patient). In 12 cases (14,4%) a laparotomy "on demand" was necessary after the scheduled reoperations were stopped. The source of peritonitis was resolved in 61 cases (73,5%) and unresolved in 22 cases (26,5%). In 9 cases (10%) specific complications of the method (hemorrhages, fistulas) were encountered. The global mortality was 65,06%, with 55,73% mortality when the source of peritonitis was resolved and 90,9% mortality when the source was not resolved.

scheduled reoperations have to be reserved for the most severe cases of acute peritonitis in which the mortality after the "classical" methods of treatment is extremely high.