Perforated Duodenal Ulcer in a Young Nepalese Girl: An Infrequent Diagnosis for Age

Perforated duodenal ulcer (PDU) is exceedingly uncommon in children. In a child with acute abdomen and pneumoperitoneum, an appendiceal etiology is more often suspected as a likely cause. Failure or delay to diagnose a PDU can result in significant morbidity and even mortality. We report a case of a...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ashish Lal Shrestha, Anusha Shrestha
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2021-01-01
Series:Case Reports in Pediatrics
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/6304309
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Perforated duodenal ulcer (PDU) is exceedingly uncommon in children. In a child with acute abdomen and pneumoperitoneum, an appendiceal etiology is more often suspected as a likely cause. Failure or delay to diagnose a PDU can result in significant morbidity and even mortality. We report a case of acute abdomen in a girl with PDU with a successful outcome. A 12-year-old school girl presented to emergency room (ER) with acute generalized abdominal pain for 2 days. Clinical examination revealed florid peritonitis, and abdominal radiographs showed free peritoneal air. At emergency laparotomy, PDU was noted with general peritoneal contamination. Omental patch repair and continued supportive care resulted in gradual improvement. PDU is an uncommon cause of peritonitis in children and poses significant challenges in management. Strong suspicion and prompt appropriate intervention is necessary to avoid untoward outcomes.
ISSN:2090-6811