Budamala Sarada1 , Bhargavi G.2 , B. Sobha Rani3 , G.V. Prakash4
BACKGROUND Peritonitis is a fairly common and challenging emergency encountered in general surgical practice. Intraoperative peritoneal lavage plays an important role in the treatment of peritonitis. Sterile water, warm saline, antibiotics, and povidoneiodine are used for the purpose of peritoneal lavage. The objective of this study is to compare the clinical outcome of patients diagnosed with peritonitis, who underwent peritoneal lavage with povidone-iodine and metronidazole. Early complications like surgical site infection, intraabdominal abscess, paralytic ileus, and late complications like faecal fistula, obstruction were assessed. METHODS In this study, we have analyzed 100 patients who were admitted in our department for peritonitis over a period of one year. 100 patients were divided in to two groups with 50 in each group. Group A underwent peritoneal lavage with povidone-iodine in normal saline, group B underwent peritoneal lavage with metronidazole in normal saline. Outcomes were compared between the two groups. RESULTS The common age group was 31 - 40 years. Peritonitis was more common in men. Duodenal perforation was the most common perforation. E. coli is the most common organism isolated. Postop complications are more in distal perforation. Postop complications like SSI were less in the metronidazole group with a significant p-value. Other clinical outcomes were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS Peritoneal lavage ensures adequate control of infection, minimizes the risk of postoperative infection. Intraoperative peritoneal lavage with metronidazole in normal saline is more effective compared to povidone-iodine in normal saline.
