Sepsis intraabdominal postquirúrgica

background: postsurgical intra-abdominal sepsis has a high incidence and mortality. objective: to evaluate the behavior of postsurgical intra-abdominal sepsis in an intermediate care unit. method: a descriptive cross-sectional study on the behavior of postsurgical intra-abdominal sepsis was accomplished in an intermediate care unit at the teaching hospital manuel ascunce domenech from january 2005 to december 2007. isogravity scales apache ii, mannhein peritonitis index and clinical, analytical and imaging parameters as re-intervention criteria. results: the elders of 65 years predominated and all dead persons showed a punctuation apache-ii to the greater or equal entrance to 21 points. the occlusion of large intestine by cancer represented almost the half of the cases and the clinical triad of fever, tachycardia and polypnea were the most significant for re-intervention. conclusions: the combination of clinical, analytical and imaging criteria was most effective way of deciding re-intervention.