Role of histopathological examination in nontraumatic perforation of colon.
OBJECTIVE
Nontraumatic perforation of colon is an uncommon cause of peritonitis requiring early surgical intervention. This study was carried out to determine the prevalence patterns of the different etiologies of nontraumatic perforation of colon.


RESULTS
A total of 35 patients with segments of colon or perforation margins removed for perforation were included. Most of the perforations occurred in the caecum, of which two were seen at the ileocaecal junction. The commonest cause was infection (amoebiasis: 13 cases and tuberculosis: 5 cases) followed by ulcers of non specific ulcers (12 cases). There were three cases of adenocarcinoma causing secondary perforation and one case of idiopathic intestinal gangrene and volvulus each.


CONCLUSIONS
In tropics, non traumatic perforations of colon most often involves caecal and ileocaecal segment and the most common etiology is amoebiasis.
Department of Pathology, University College of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
Komal
K
Singla
Garima
G
Mahajan
Sarla
S
Agarwal
Sonal
S
Sharma
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D003106:Colon / Q000473:pathology*; D003108:Colonic Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007416:Intestinal Perforation / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous; D055815:Young Adult