Sepsis, Severe Sepsis, and Septic Shock

The sepsis syndrome represents the wide spectrum of the deleterious inflammatory response to an infectious insult. As the most common cause of mortality in the surgical intensive care unit, understanding the diagnosis and management of sepsis is critical for the surgical ICU physician. Early identification and aggressive resuscitation of the septic patient, combined with adequate surgical source control, can be lifesaving. Surgeons and critical care physicians who care for septic patients should be familiar with current evidence-based practices in the management of sepsis. Patients with organ system dysfunction and failure should be identified and appropriate support initiated. As more patients survive severe sepsis and septic shock, a syndrome of persistent inflammation, immune suppression, and catabolism has been identified and presents a new and difficult challenge for physicians.