Abstract Peritoneal lavage resulted in a significant reduction in the duration of hospital stay in a retrospective series of 189 children with peritonitis secondary to perforation of the appendix. Antibiotic peritoneal lavage also resulted in a significant reduction in the number of children with septic and adhesive complications compared with antiseptic lavage and no lavage, mainly as a result of fewer wound infections. The overall incidence of residual intraperitoneal infection was low, and although differences in this respect were not significant, none of the children treated with antibiotic peritoneal lavage required reoperation for intraperitoneal sepsis.