Peptic ulcer perforation: University of Benin Teaching Hospital experience -Benin City, Nigeria

Abstract

Peptic ulcer perforation is one of the surgical complications of peptic ulcer disease. Treatment can be  operative or non-operative followed by proton pump inhibitor and eradication of Helicobacter pylori.The  study was aimed at analyzing the clinical features, operative findings and outcome of patients who had operative management for peptic ulcer perforation. It was a retrospective review of 70 patients with intra-operative diagnosis of peptic ulcer perforation. The study was carried out at the University of Benin  Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Edo state, Nigeria. The case files of 70 patients with intra-operative  diagnosis of peptic ulcer perforation by open surgery over a 3-year period from September 2009 to August 2012 were retrieved from the medical records library. Clinical data obtained from the patients' case files were analyzed using SPSS 16. There were 59 (84%) males and 11 (16%) females with age range from  14-92 years. The male to female ratio was 5:1. The overall mean age of the patients was 45 ± 17 years.  Eighteen (26%) patients were in shock on admission. Simple closure and omental patch reinforcement was the operation done in all the patients. Sixty patients were well and discharged after surgery while 10 died. The overall mortality rate was 14%. There is a high incidence of perforated peptic ulcer in our centre. Simple closure with omental patch reinforcement, with proton pump inhibitor and eradication of Helicobacter pylori without definitive anti-ulcer surgery were the  management approach adopted in our centre.