A clinical evaluation of postoperative peritoneal lavage in the treatment of perforated appendicitis.

In a comparative investigation, 369 patients operated upon for perforated appendicitis were studied retrospectively. During the period 1973-1979 181 patients with perforated appendicitis, treated at Sundsvall Hospital, were all given postoperative peritoneal lavage, whereas 188 patients with the same diagnosis treated at Skövde Hospital received no such treatment. Appendicectomy was performed in all patients and all were given systemic antibiotic therapy. Complications recorded were postoperative deaths, intra-abdominal abscesses, wound infections, postoperative ileus and lavage catheter complications. Postoperative peritoneal lavage did not diminish the frequency of these postoperative complications.