[Postoperative anaerobic sepsis]

As shown by clinical practice, postoperative anaerobic sepsis is a complication more common than usually thought of or microbiologically verified. The exceptionally difficult microbiological verification, regardless of the fact that original registered transport media are employed, is the underlying cause of obligate non-spore forming microorganisms from hemoculture being demonstrated in four patients only. In all of them Bacteroides fragilis is isolated and identified. Also, in all patients a fully developed clinical picture of sepsis is present along with the characteristic laboratory septic syndrome constellation as well. After pointing out the difficulties in diagnosing "post-operative anaerobic sepsis", and more particularly its verification, emphasis is laid on the clinical and laboratory symptoms presented by the patients, and on the important role played by the SIRS system, contributing greatly to an adequately oriented clinical thinking.