Intraabdominal infections: an overview.

Intraabdominal infections are serious clinical problems that generally occur secondary to endogenous contamination following the interruption of the continuity of the gastrointestinal tract by trauma, intrinsic diseases, or surgery. Appropriate treatment necessitates early diagnosis, the accomplishment of which most frequently requires a specialized radiologic procedure such as computed tomography, followed by surgical drainage and appropriate parenteral antibiotic therapy. Several agents alone or others in combination appear to be equally efficacious in treating these infections, which usually are due to the aerobic and anaerobic constituents of the gastrointestinal microflora. Adjunctive surgical techniques include peritoneal irrigation, debridement, and repair of the damaged viscera.