Management of bowel perforation in typhoid fever

The best survival rates after ileal perforation in typhoid fever are to be found in patients undergoing operation within 24 h. Conservative management of typhoid perforation, which was widely advocated after the introduction of chloramphenicol, appears to be associated with a substantially increased mortality compared to surgery, although randomized comparisons have never been conducted. Clinical, radiological and ultrasound examination assist in the diagnosis of perforation. After vigorous resuscitation, simple surgical closure of the perforation and abdominal irrigation will suffice for most cases. Antibiotics effective against S. typhi, coliforms and anaerobes are required.