Abstract:

While surgical infections are seemingly a heterogeneous group of disease entities, there are several common features that permit a general approach to their diagnosis and management. These properties include: the polymicrobial nature of the flora in most infections, the association of the infection with some underlying pathological process, and appropriate treatment often includes both broad-spectrum antimicrobial therapy and some surgical or radiological intervention to promote eradication of the infection. For the purpose of this review, intra-abdominal infection will be used as the prototypical surgical infection because it embodies many of the general features of most infections.

Authors:

Ian D. McGilvray, M.D., Ori D. Rotstein, M.D., F.R.C.S.C., University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada

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