Intestinal complications of round worms in children

One hundred forty-two patients with surgical complications of Ascaris lumbricoides were treated in our hospital over a period of 5 years. Included were 120 patients with subacute intestinal obstruction that were treated conservatively, and 22 patients with acute intestinal obstruction that required surgical intervention. Four of the 22 patients that were operated on died following various postoperative complications. However, there were no deaths among those presenting with subacute obstruction. In our experience, early recognition of the condition avoided serious complications and morbidity.