Post-operative abdominal infections: epidemiology, operational definitions, and outcomes

Postoperative abdominal infections are an important and heterogeneous health challenge in intensive care units (ICU) and encompass postoperative infectious processes developing within the abdominal cavity that may be caused by either bacterial or fungal pathogens. In this narrative review, we discus...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Intensive care medicine 2020-02, Vol.46 (2), p.163-172
Main Authors: Bassetti, Matteo, Eckmann, Christian, Giacobbe, Daniele Roberto, Sartelli, Massimo, Montravers, Philippe
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abdomen
Abscess
Anesthesiology
Antifungal agents
Antiinfectives and antibacterials
Antimicrobial agents
Care and treatment
Critical Care Medicine
Drug resistance in microorganisms
Emergency Medicine
Epidemiology
Fungi
Health aspects
Heterogeneity
Hospitals
Infection
Infections
Intensive
Intensive care units
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Methicillin
Multidrug resistance
Narrative Review
Pain Medicine
Pathogens
Pediatrics
Pneumology/Respiratory System
Severe infections in the critically ill
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Summary:Postoperative abdominal infections are an important and heterogeneous health challenge in intensive care units (ICU) and encompass postoperative infectious processes developing within the abdominal cavity that may be caused by either bacterial or fungal pathogens. In this narrative review, we discuss postoperative bacterial and fungal abdominal infections, covering also multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens. We also cover clinically preeminent aspects such as the definition of postoperative abdominal infections, which still remains difficult owing to their heterogeneity in patient characteristics, clinical presentation, ecology and antimicrobial treatment. With regard to treatment, modifiable factors such as source control and antimicrobial therapy play a key role in influencing the prognosis of postoperative abdominal infections, but several conditions may hamper their correct application; thus efforts should necessarily be devoted towards improving their appropriateness and timing. Hot topics regarding the characteristics and management of postoperative abdominal infections are discussed in this narrative review.
ISSN:0342-4642
1432-1238
DOI:10.1007/s00134-019-05841-5