Neonatal intestinal perforation in a developing country

Between 1990 and 1999, 14 neonates with intestinal perforation were treated at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, Nigeria. Median age at presentation was 9 days and median weight 2.65 kg. Five had high anorectal malformation, three Hirschsprung's disease and two ruptured exomphalos with bowel strangulation. Gastroschisis, strangulated inguinal hernia, ileal atresia and umbilical sepsis with evisceration accounted for one case each. Two of the perforations were iatrogenic during colostomy construction. Seven perforations were in the small bowel and seven in the colorectum. Three neonates had oedema and tenderness of the anterior abdominal wall, and pneumoperitoneum was seen in abdominal radiographs in two. All the infants had laparotomy, four under local anaesthesia, after resuscitation. Three had simple suture of the perforation, five had resection with primary anastomosis and six had exteriorization colostomy. Overall, eight (59%) died, five with colorectal perforation and three with small bowel perforation.