title: Free small bowel perforation in an indigenous African population.
abstract: Over a 44-month period, 50 patients with free small bowel perforations were seen at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), Calabar, Nigeria. The causes of these perforations were typhoid enteritis in 23 patients, trauma in 11, strangulated obstructions in nine, duodenal ulceration in six and non-specific ileitis in one. Ninety-two percent of these patients were males aged under 40. The taking of laxatives, delayed presentation and inappropriate treatment adversely all affect the ultimate results.
authors: Department of Surgery, University of Calabar, Teaching Hospital, Nigeria.
authors: A R
authors: AR
authors: Iwatt
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004381:Duodenal Ulcer / Q000453:epidemiology; D004751:Enteritis / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000150:complications; D007416:Intestinal Perforation / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D014435:Typhoid Fever / Q000150:complications