title: Amoebic perforation of the bowel.
abstract: In a 20-month period 6 patients with amoebic perforation of the bowel were seen in the pathology department at Baragwanath Hospital. The duration of the disease was short, and the diagnosis was made pre-operatively in only 2 cases. All the patients had total colitis with multiple ulcers, and in 2 there was involvement of the terminal ileum. Single perforations were present in 2 cases and multiple perforations in the remaining 4. All the patients had fibrinous peritonitis and none had an associated liver abscess. Partial or total colectomy was performed on 5 patients, 1 of whom survived. The operative management of amoebic colitis with perforation is discussed; diversion of the faecal stream with drainage is recommended when possible.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003106:Colon / Q000473:pathology; D003108:Colonic Diseases / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology; D004404:Dysentery, Amebic / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007416:Intestinal Perforation / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014456:Ulcer / Q000473:pathology