Objectives: This comparative study was conducted at Mayo Hospital, Lahore from April 2004 to May 2005 to compare the results of primary repair and exteriorization in cases of typhoid perforation Materials and methods: :80 patients were selected out of which 48 were males and 32 were females. Inclusion criteria: Consisted of a history of fever abdominal pain, constipation, sharp shooting pain superimposed over the colicky abdominal pain clinical finding included tense tender abdomen and absent bowel sounds, investigations including gas under diaphragm in abdominal x-ray and positive widal test. Exclusion criteria: Consisted of negative Widal test even if there was gas under diaphragm, per op findings suggestive of tuberculosis or histopathology reports suggestive of tuberculosis or any pathology other than typhoid. Primary repair was done in patients who presented within 36 hrs of experiencing sharp shooting pain and per op findings of minimal contamination. Exteriorization in the form of loop or double barrel ileostomy was done in other cases.