ABSTRACT
D A 70-year-old man of ASA anaesthetic category 3, underwent an emergency closure of a perforated duodenal ulcer. The anaesthetic and operation were uneventful. On the first postoperative day, he complained of feeling very unwell with a systolic blood pressure of 80 mm Hg with no unusual signs in his abdomen; there was impaired conscious level and peripheral vasoconstriction.
