Urea production related to intraperitoneal inflammation.

To eluicdate a possible connection between the amount of urea production and degree of intraperitoneal complication 24 hour urea production was studied in patients having undergone appendectomy. The base material consisting of 60 patients with an uncomplicated postoperative course was divided into three groups: 1) 20 patients with a normal appendix without any infection, 2) 20 patients with acute appendicitis without perforation, and 3) 20 patients with acute appendicitis with perforation and varying degrees of peritonitis. Twenty-four hour urea production was determined from the second to seventh postoperative day. A significant difference in postoperative urea production was found between the three groups mentioned, the patients in group 3 had the highest and the patients in group 1 the lowest urea production. Further, all three groups showed a gradual, significant decrease in urea production from second to seventh postoperative day. Two patients with intraperitoneal complications after appendectomy had a significantly increased urea production.