Childhood intestinal obstruction in Northwestern Nigeria

Intestinal obstruction is a common cause of childhood surgical emergency in the tropics. The aim of this paper was to assess the pattern and the outcome of mangement of intestinal obstruction in Nigerian children.

The clinical reccords of all the cases of childhood intestinal obstructions managed at a teaching hospital in northwestern Nigeria between 1999 and 2003 were retrospectively reviewed.

There were 54 children, 44(81.5 %) were boys and 10 (8.5 %) were girls (m:f=4.4:1). Fifteen (27.8%) and 22 (46.2%) were neonates and infants, respectively. The causes of the intestinal obstruction were intussusception 16(29.6 %), Hirschprung's disease 14(25.9%), anorectal anomaly 12 (22.2%), external hernias 6(11.1%), atresia 5(9.3%) and congenital bands 1(1.9 %). The clinical features were consistent with those reported from other parts of the world, except that many patients with intussusception presented late with gangrenous intestines. The overall mortality was 6(11.1 %); the mortality in the neonates was 5(33.3 %).

Apart from the obvious absence of worm infestation, the aetiological pattern and the clinical presentation of childhood intestinal obstruction in this study agrees with those reported from other parts of the country. Their management is associated with high mortality in our environment, especially when there are associated anomalies or the presentation is late.