Typhoid perforation in adults

Abstract

This study was conducted to establish the nature of clinical presentation, management and prognosis of typhoid perforation at the TU Teaching Hospital. A retrospective study was conducted from July 1988 to June 1993. During this five-year period, 632 patients with enteric fever were admitted. Of the 632 cases, 30 (4.8%) had enteric perforation, in which 25 (83%) and 5 (17%) were males and females respectively. Perforation was most common in 30 to 39 years age group and occurred mostly during the second week of fever. Fever, abdominal pain and vomiting were common symptoms. Diagnosis was mainly clinical, supplemented by the presence of pneumoperitoneum and confirmed at laparotomy. Operative management was the common modality of treatment with only 6% of mortality, which is much lower than that reported in the literature.