Surgical treatment of typhoid ileal perforations--choice of operation.

Over the past 3 years 52 patients with typhoid ileal perforation were treated surgically. Widal test was positive in all, and majority (42 cases) of the patients were males. Single perforation was often found in the last 20 cms of the ileum. Simple closure (31 cases) or closure with ileotransverse colostomy (21 cases) were the procedures of choice, resulting in 16.12% and 14.24% mortality in the two groups respectively (over all mortality 23.07%). A six fold increase in mortality was noted if the perforation/surgery were delayed beyond 72 hours (JPMA 38: 316, 1988).