This book examines in detail the topic of sepsis, with a focus on intra-abdominal sepsis. Particular attention is devoted to source control in the management of the infection, antimicrobial therapy and sepsis support, which represent the cornerstones of treating patients with this problem. The importance of a multidisciplinary approach is highlighted not only by the instructive and informative sections on the acute manifestations of appendicitis, cholecystitis, and cholangitis, perforations and diverticulitis, Clostridium difficile infection and the role of candida in abdominal sepsis, but also by an extensive discussion of issues including antimicrobial resistance, damage control surgery, principles of antimicrobial therapy, hemodynamic support, adjunctive therapies, and thromboprophylaxis.

Abdominal sepsis is the host's systemic inflammatory response to intra-abdominal infections. It is associated with significant morbidity and mortality rates, and represents the second mostcommon cause of sepsis-related mortality at intensive care units. Gathering contributions by authoritative experts from all around the world, this book will allow acute care surgeons, abdominal surgeons, intensive care clinicians, and students to broaden their understanding of intra-abdominal sepsis in daily clinical practice.

1 Classifications and principles of treatment

2 Peritonitis and intra-peritoneal inflammatory mediators
3 Imaging diagnosis
4 Higk risk patients and prognostic factors
5 Acute appendicitis
6 Acute cholecystitis
7 Acute cholangitis
8 Pyogenic liver abscess
9 Gastroduodenal perforations
10 Small bowel perforations
11 Acute colonic diverticulitis
12 Post-operative peritonitis
13 Damage control surgery in managing abdominal sepsis
14 Ongoing peritonitis
15 Clostridium difficile infection
16 Complicated Intra-abdominal infections: Principles of Antimicrobial Therapy
17 Antimicrobial armamentarium
18 Antimicrobial resistance in intra-abdominal infections
19 The role of candida in abdominal sepsis
20 Use and interpretation of peritoneal swabs
21 Appropriate antimicrobial therapy in critically ill patients
22 Haemodynamic support
23 Adjunctive therapies
24 Impact and management of abdominal compartment syndrome in patients with abdominal sepsis
25 Tromboprohilaxis in patients with abdominal sepsis
26 Nutrition in patients with abdominal sepsis.