SEPSIS IN SURGICAL PATIENT

: Epidemiological studies indicate a large incidence of sepsis in the general population. Despite advances in surgery, surgical patients with sepsis make almost one-third of all cases of sepsis. Sepsis is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among surgical patients, with intra-abdominal infection as the main source of sepsis. According to some authors, sepsis in surgical patients is different from those in non-surgical patients because of the immune function modulation that occurs as a result of surgery and anesthesia applied; therefore, these two groups should be monitored separately. In the treatment of sepsis, the key steps are early recognition of sepsis, rapid diagnosis, and aggressive treatment that includes the choice of intervention with the least physiological insult to control the sources of infection. Emphasis should be placed on the prevention of sepsis throughout the perioperative period. In surgical septic patients, treatment is complex and requires a multidisciplinary approach.