No abstract

BACKGROUNDThe duodenal injury can pose a formidable challenge to the surgeon and failure to manage it properly may have devastating results. Over the centuries, there was little to offer the patient of acute abdomen beyond cupping, purgation and enemas, all of which did more harm than good. It was not until 1884 that Mikulicz made an attempt to repair a perforation. Recent statistics indicate roughly 10% of population develop gastric or duodenal ulcer in life time. Roughly 1-3% of population above the age of 20 years have some degree of peptic ulcer activity during any annual period. A detailed history with regards to the signs and symptoms of the patient, a meticulous examination, radiological and biochemical investigations help to arrive at a correct preoperative diagnosis. In this study, a sincere effort has been put to understand the demographic patterns, to understand the underlying aetiology and to understand the effectiveness of the standard methods of investigation and treatment in use today. METHODSThis is a 24 months prospective study i.e.Foundation to emergency ward with signs and symptoms of hollow viscus perforation. The sample size included 30 cases of duodenal perforation. RESULTSDuodenal ulcer perforation commonly occurs in the age group of 30-60 years, but it can occur in any age group. Majority of the patients were male. Smoking and alcohol consumption were risk factors in most cases (53.3%) for the causation of duodenal ulcer perforation. Sudden onset of abdominal pain, situated at epigastrium and right hypochondrium was a constant symptom (100%). Vomiting, constipation and fever were not so common. CONCLUSIONThe emergency surgical management for perforated duodenal ulcer is by Graham's omentoplasty when size is less than 2 cm. Risk factors for operation of duodenal perforation was old age, duration of perforation, size of perforation, associated comorbid medical illness and presence of preoperative shock.