Bacterial peritonitis and the bursting strength of intestinal anastomoses.

In order to study the bursting strength of intestinal anastomoses, resection of a wedge of ileum and creation of an anastomosis were performed, and peritonitis was induced in five groups of rats. Peritonitis was induced by intraperitoneal injection of bacterial suspensions of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Clostridium welchii, and the exteriorized ileal loop in each rat was regularly inspected for peritoneal exudation, adhesions, hyperemia, obstruction, leakage and bursting strength. All bowel anastomoses performed in the presence of peritonitis were weaker than those done in a sterile field (control group) and the type of organism influenced the strength of the anastomosis and the histopathologic changes; in this study the weakest anastomoses were associated with E. coli infection.