Palisade dorsoventral lavage for neglected peritonitis

A modification of the procedure of laparostomy with palisade dorsoventral lavage for treating neglected peritonitis is described. It consists of adding a polyethylene foil to cover the intestines and thus avoiding the direct contact between them from one side, and the suction drains and the palisade laparostomy screen from the other. Between 1988 and 1995, 19 patients with neglected peritonitis (APACHE II scores from 12 to 42; mean 22.3) were managed using this modified technique. A total of 81 reexplorations were done (average, 4.3 reexplorations per patient). The technique proved effective (21% mortality, n = 4). No intestinal perforations, fistulas, or residual pus collections occured among survivors or among those who died. Primary fascial closure was achieved in all survivors and during an 18-months followup, no incisional hernia occurred. Based on these results, we believe this technique is extremely useful when both laparostomy and continuous peritoneal irrigations are considered in patients with neglected peritonitis.