Blood coagulation profile in patients with acute diffuse peritonitis.

Coagulation studies conducted on 42 patients with acute peritonitis of varying etiology revealed statistically significant prolongation of kaolin cephalin clotting time, decrease of platelets and elevation of plasma fibrinogen and serum fibrinogen degradation products. The relationship of the coagulopathy to bacterial invasion of peritoneal cavity was indicated by the absence of significant change in KCCT, prothrombin time, and bleeding time in patients with sterile peritoneal fluid. The results suggest a process of insidious defibrination intricately superimposed on the hypercoagulable state in these patients.