The present study evaluates colonic anastomosis healing in the presence of fecal peritonitis in rats. After induction of fecal peritonitis, the animals were treated by surgery alone or with the addition of systemic supportive treatment. It is shown that survival in the latter group was significantly better, while burst strength of anastomoses in surviving animals in both groups was identical. The results suggest that the outcome of fecal peritonitis depends mainly on fluid resuscitation and antimicrobial therapy, but not on primary repair.