title: Clinical appraisal of Ascaris lumbricoides, with special reference to surgical complications.
abstract: Over a period of 4 years (January 1993-December 1997), 509 patients were treated for abdominal colic with or without intestinal obstruction and a history of passage of adult roundworms either in the stool or in vomitus. All patients were below the age of 10 years, the youngest 6 months old, and were treated successfully with antispasmodics and normal saline enemas. When the pain subsided, an anthelminthic drug was given. Of 209 patients admitted to the hospital, 105 responded to conservative management and 104 (50%) required surgical intervention. The procedures included squeezing out of worms, resection and anastomosis, and treatment of other pathologies like acute appendicitis, tubercular stricture of the small intenstine, etc. Five patients died in the postoperative period due to various complications. There were no deaths among those treated by conservative management. Early recognition of the condition can prevent serious surgical complications and morbidity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research & SSKM Hospital, Calcutta, India.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mukhopadhyay
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saha
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maiti
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mitra
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Banerjee
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jha
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mukhopadhyay
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Samanta
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Das
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001196:Ascariasis / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D017164:Ascaris lumbricoides; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007223:Infant; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D007813:Laparotomy
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics