Retrospective review of a series of fifty patients suffering from po'st-operatory respiratory insufficiency (PRI) treated in the Intensive Care Unit of theHospital de Clínicas (University Hospital) of Montevideo. The highest incidence of respiratory failure is found in patientes in their fifties and sixties, regardlessof sex and generally after urgency surgery in the supra mesocolic compartment. As a consequence of studying the gasses contained in the blood, patients can be divided into two groups with well-defined gaso'metric profiles: Group 1 - hypoxia and hypocapnia Group 2 - hypoxia and hypercapnia Causes, physio'pathology, evolution and treatmentof both groups are discussed, with emphasis of the importance of an early treatment of intra-abdominal septic foci and o'n supporting measures, fundamentally.

Los autores analizan retrospectivamente cincuenta. enfermos portadores de insuficiencia respiratoria posoperatoria (IRP) tratados ,en el Centro de Tratamiento Intensivo del Hospital de Clinicas. Se destaca la mayor incidencia de falla respiratoria en los pacientes comprendidos entre la 5