Intra-abdominal Sepsis and Imaging Considerations

Abstract

Intra-abdominal infection and sepsis may present in several forms, which may present the clinician with difficulty in diagnosis and treatment. Intra-abdominal sepsis may involve any intra-abdominal organ or space due to intrinsic disease or an interruption in the continuity of the gastrointestinal tract due to trauma or surgery. Intra-abdominal infection may be categorized as complicated or uncomplicated, where complicated infection may present outside the organ involved and is associated with abscess or peritonitis and uncomplicated is only a transmural inflammation restricted to the organ itself.

The timing between diagnosis and source control is pivotal to ensure survival [1].

When there is intestinal perforation, the patient will have obvious signs of physiological deterioration. These signs include septic shock and peritonitis. In this occasion radiological studies might not be necessary, furthermore deleterious in delaying care.

Moreover, on a stable patient, free air under the diagram on plain radiograph is an ominous sign, and other radiological studies should serve for operative management planning rather than delay in care.

The following chapter will describe in detail causes of intra-abdominal sepsis, as well as clinical presentation and indications for further studies.