[How urgent is an operation in enterothorax?].

The emergency treatment of the enterothorax is problematic due to weak lung functions and unstable hemodynamics, and because it does not influence the stage of maturity of the lungs. By delayed operation children with a critical starting position have a greater chance to survive, after their condition has been stabilised by intensive care treatment. During the stabilising period we managed to decrease the FiO2 level below 50% and to decrease the pCO2 level to 43 +/- 13 mm Hg in our patients (n = 10). Furthermore we succeeded to raise the O2 degree of saturation from 72 +/- 13 to 89 +/- 9%. The pH level went up from 7,238 +/- 0,181 to 7,394 +/- 0,060. If the condition of the patients worsens during the stabilising period--in our patients the stabilising period was between 12 and 24 hours--immediate operation is indicated. We have no experience so far in using ECMO in such situations.