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Septic Shock Caused by Surgery

While medical science has significantly decreased the risk inherent in surgical procedures, there are still some looming potentialities that could undermine an otherwise flawless surgery. One of the more lethal forms of surgical complication is septic shock, a condition which can develop suddenly, decreasing the patient's average chances for survival to just 50 percent.

  1. Septic Shock

    • According to the Mayo Clinic, septic shock is a condition characterized by a sudden drop in blood pressure which develops from the immune system's overreaction to an infection. Specifically, septic shock develops from the release of endotoxins from invading bacteria in the body, triggering the onset of symptoms.

    Symptoms

    • Septic shock carries with it a host of symptoms, including rapid pulse and a sudden and rapid decline in blood pressure. There are two major types of septic shock, known as warm and cold, with cold" being more common. In warm septic shock, the patient will exhibit a bounding pulse along with warm, discolored extremities. In cold septic shock, the patient's extremities will be clammy while his core temperature (rectal temperature) will be high.

    Considerations

    • Survival from septic shock is always an uncertain affair, but the prognosis is improved if the patient is fairly young (mid to late 20s) and has a fairly clean medical history. The prognosis declines where the patient is exceptionally young or old, is already suffering from one or more diseases, or where the patient has implanted devices in his body.

    Treatments

    • Treatment for someone suffering from surgery-induced septic shock consists of providing the patient with adequate amounts of fluids and oxygen. Drugs such as dopamine and chlorpromazine can help ameliorate symptoms. Time is of the essence, and immediate treatment is the key to helping an individual to overcome septic shock from surgery.

    Complications

    • Septic shock can lead to a number of other conditions, which can bring about or hasten the death of the patient. These include acute left ventricular failure (failure of a portion of the heart) and pulmonary oedema (the accumulation of fluids within the lungs).

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