Kishan Danvath1, Sridhar Matta2
INTRODUCTION
Peritonitis due to gastrointestinal perforation is one of the commonest surgical emergencies encountered by a general surgeon. (1,2) Mortality and morbidity is still very high despite early diagnosis and intensive management. This study is aimed to find common causes of perforations, its presentations, mode of investigations and treatment done and outcome of patients.
METHODS
Case records of all patients, in exclusion and inclusion criteria, who were admitted in emergency surgical ward with suspected GI perforation and peritonitis were included in study and diagnosis confirmed by either investigations preoperatively or by laparotomy and results analysed over a period of 16 months.
RESULTS
GI perforations due to benign causes are most common causes of peritonitis, of which gastroduodenal perforations are commonest followed by appendicular perforation closely followed by infective perforations.
CONCLUSION
Benign causes of upper gastroduodenal perforations are common causes of peritonitis (2,3). Mortality increases with delay in presentation and treatment. Abdominal signs like guarding rigidity are present in majority of cases. X-ray erect abdomen was effective in detecting perforation in majority of cases. Surgery is the treatment in all cases of perforation.
