Study of Management of Non-traumatic Small Intestinal Perforation

Background: Perforation of the small bowel from a wide variety of causes is a significant entity in surgical emergencies. Surgery is the cornerstone in the management of perforation peritonitis. The most common etiology is of infective origin. This study was undertaken to find out the demographic characteristics, etiological factors, clinical presentations and various surgical procedures for small intestinal perforation, it's complications in our setup. Materials and methods: This was a prospective observational study conducted in the department of general surgery at SCB Medical College, Cuttack from January 2017 to January 2020. A total of 50 cases of non-traumatic small bowel perforation were included in this study. Results: Most common age group was 21-30 years (40%). Ileum was the most common site accounting for 80%.  Sixty per cent of cases were enteric infections due to typhoid followed by tuberculosis (20%).  Conclusion: Diagnosis of non-traumatic small bowel perforation is a challenge even with the advent of newer technology. Younger populations are commonly affected compared to the western population. Infective aetiology is most common in our part of the world. Early surgical intervention along with treatment of the etiological factors may lead to a better outcome