Sepsis and multiple organ dysfunction

Sepsis—a dysregulated systemic inflammatory response to infection—occurs at some point in most critical illnesses, and is the most common cause of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). Patients with MODS always present great challenges to the critical care team and are often at high risk of death. This chapter discusses the latest thinking about the infective causes and complex evolution of sepsis, with details of how each of the main body systems can be affected (e.g. in the form of acute respiratory distress syndrome) and how different organ functions can be assessed and dysfunction recognized. The priorities, principles, and practicalities of holistic care and management of patients with sepsis and MODS, including adjunct therapies and blood purification, is also described.