Timing and strategy of source control in the management of septic shock from intraabdominal sepsis ZHU Wei-ming. Department of General Surgery, Nanjing General Hospital of Nanjing Military Command of PLA, Nanjing 210002, China Abstract The essential components in the treatment of intraabdominal sepsis are drainage of infected fluids, debridement of infected soft tissues, removal of intraabdominal foreign bodies, and finally, definite measures to correct anatomic derangement resulting in ongoing microbial contamination and to restore optimal function. The goals can only be attained in physiological stable patients. In patients with septic shock after intraabdominal sepsis, the impact of the surgical procedures to the patients’ physiological homeostasis must be weighed against its benefit from infection removal. Septic shock must be corrected to improve patients’ tolerance, which is followed by timely minimally invasive or damage controlled procedure to drain the intraabdominal sepsis.