Perforated viscera in typhoid fever: A better prognosis for children

A review of 30 children who had perforations of the bowel or gallbladder during a typhoid fever epidemic in Mexico City indicates that an excellent prognosis can be expected in children.The early diagnosis and aggressive management of hypovolemia is perhaps the most important factor. Bowel perforations were treated by a simple suture closure or resection in appropriate cases. There were innumerable postoperative complications, the most common being intraperitoneal abscess.In spite of the seriousness of the illness of these children and the frequency of postperforation complications, there was no operative mortality. The overall mortality was 3%.