Abstract
The high mortality associated with conventionally resuscitated septic shock and the subsequent multiple-organ failure remain a very significant and costly clinical problem. Conventional simple intravenous resuscitation (CR) from septic shock often fails to restore the progressive splanchnic vasoconstriction and hypoperfusion, and fails to reverse gut-derived systemic inflammatory response and fluid sequestration. Numerous interventions have been used to protect organ systems and cellular viability from the lethal injury accompanying hypoperfusion and ischemia but none of these efforts have been sufficient to halt or reverse the main course of the pathophysiology noted with conventional resuscitated shock. Recently, some studies have found that in hemorrhagic shock, direct peritoneal resuscitation (DPR) not only produces sustained hyperperfusion in viscera but also has immunomodulatory and anti-fluid sequestration effects. Although the etiology and pathogenesis of septic shock and hemorrhagic shock differ, both kinds of shock result in hypoperfusion of the intestines and other internal organs. In this paper, we seek to determine whether DPR has a similar therapeutic effect on septic shock/resuscitation.