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Updated: Oct 15, 2026

Murine Ileocolic Bowel Resection with Primary Anastomosis
Published on: October 29, 2014
Recurrent idiopathic perforations of the small intestine
1Department of Emergency Surgery, Military Medical Academy, Sofia, Bulgaria. freckles@public.digsys.bg
Background/Aims:
Idiopathic perforation of the small intestine is extremely rare. The definition depends on the absence of any detectable pathology that could be responsible for the perforation. This study was undertaken to outline the criteria for determination of the condition.
Methods:
Case report and review of the literature.
Results:
A 50-year-old male patient underwent surgery including laparostomy and planned reexplorations for multiple recurrent small intestinal perforations of unknown origin; the patient made an uneventful recovery. Extensive investigations were carried out to search for any pathology that could explain the occurrence of perforations, but yielded no results.
Conclusions:
Further studies will possibly give more information concerning idiopathic perforation of the small intestine, provided that judicious criteria for its determination are applied.
Insights
Idiopathic small intestine perforation is rare and defined by the absence of identifiable causes. This case report and literature review aims to establish clear diagnostic criteria for this condition.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Surgical Pathology
Background:
- Idiopathic perforation of the small intestine is an exceptionally rare clinical entity.
- Diagnosis relies on excluding all other potential causes of intestinal perforation.
Observation:
- A case of a 50-year-old male with multiple recurrent small intestinal perforations of unknown origin is presented.
- The patient underwent surgery, including laparostomy and reexplorations, with an uneventful recovery.
Findings:
- Extensive investigations failed to identify any underlying pathology responsible for the perforations.
- This highlights the diagnostic challenge in cases of idiopathic small intestinal perforation.
Implications:
- Establishing clear diagnostic criteria is crucial for accurate identification and further research.
- Further studies applying these criteria may elucidate the etiology of idiopathic small intestinal perforation.
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