Traumatic Digestive Perforation in the Hospital of Sikasso: Epidemio-Clinical and Therapeutic Aspects

Abstract

Traumatic digestive perforation is the pathological opening of the wall of a hollow organ of the digestive tract (esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum, and extrahepatic bile ducts) following trauma. Injuries to the digestive viscera, especially from trauma, have been known since antiquity. Aristotle recognized that a slight blow can cause an intestinal injury. Perforation of a hollow organ of the digestive sphere results in peritonitis, which in this case is the consequence of an infection of the peritoneal cavity by spreading of the digestive contents. The aim of the work was to describe the epidemiological, clinical and therapeutic aspects of traumatic digestive perforation. Patients and method: The study was retrospective and descriptive from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2020, in the general surgery department of the hospital of Sikasso (Mali). Patients operated for traumatic digestive perforation were included. Results: The clinical records of 42 patients were collected. Traumatic digestive perforations represented 12.3% of patients hospitalized for abdominal trauma. The average age of the patients was 26.6 years, with a sex ratio of 6:1. The most frequent etiology was road traffic accidents with 38% of patients. The average delay of consultation was 5 days. Abdominal pain was present in 38 patients, vomiting in 17 patients. On physical examination, the most frequent signs were abdominal contracture in 61.9% of patients, and disappearance of pre-hepatic dullness in 54.7% of patients. On rectal examination , the douglas was bulging and painful in 21 patients. X-ray of the abdomen without preparation showed pneumoperitoneum in 54.1% of patients. Excision, suture and peritoneal lavage were performed in 31 patients. The postoperative course was marked by parietal suppurations in 5 patients, a digestive fistula in 2 patients and 4 cases of death (9.5%). Conclusion: Traumatic digestive perforation is a frequent pathology in surgery. Road accident was the main cause. The treatment is essentially surgical.