Surgical manifestations and management of ascariasis in Kashmir

Amongst 876 cases suffering from ascariasis 662 cases were managed conservatively and 214 cases were treated by surgery. Surgical complications were found to be more common in males in the age group of 6-10 years. Principal clinical features included pain abdomen (99.54%), constipation (80.25%), vomiting (67.46%), abdominal distension (47.03%), palpable worm masses in abdomen (35.50%), visible peristalsis (27.63%), worms in vomitus (24.20%) and palpable worm clumps on rectal examination (20.09%). Principal clinical diagnosis were worm colics (48.74%), sub-acute intestinal obstruction (27.74%), acute intestinal obstruction (11.42%) and acute intestinal obstruction with strangulation (5.71%); rest of the cases included worm cholecystitis (2.63%), obstructive jaundice (1.71%), bile peritonitis (0.91%), intestinal perforation (0.68%) and acute appendicitis (0.46%). Surgical procedures performed were milking of worms (34.12%), resection anastomosis of small intestine (23.36%), enterotomy with removal of worms (16.36%), cholecystectomy with T-tube drainage (12.15%), cholecystectomy (8.41%), appendectomy (1.87%), resection anastomosis with excision of Meckel's diverticulum (1.40%), repair of intestinal perforation with peritoneal toilet (1.40%) and cholecystectomy with choledochoduodenostomy (0.93%). In surgically managed patients 35 cases died of septicaemia and in conservatively managed cases 3 died of encephalitis with an overall mortality of 4.34%.