Sepsis following operation for inflammatory intestinal disease.

The incidence and pathogenesis of sepsis following 107 elective operations in 87 patients with inflammatory bowel disease has been studied. Eighteen per cent developed wound sepsis and 13 per cent developed intra-abdominal abscess postoperatively. The prophylactic antimicrobial regimens used did not reduce the overall postoperative sepsis rates. The risk of developing postoperative sepsis was increased in patients with preoperative enterocutaneous or entero-enteric fistulas, pre-existing abscess and those with evidence of active disease (serum albumin less than 3.0 g/dl and serum seromucoids greater than 400 mg/gl). The incidence of postoperative sepsis was not affected by corticosteroid therapy at the time of surgery.