Background/aims: Postoperative complications associated with gastrointestinal (GI) perforation may lead to a poor prognosis. The goal of the study was to identify factors required for the establishment of appropriate perioperative procedures in such cases.
Methodology: The subjects were 51 patients with GI perforation treated from July 2007 to June 2008 in six hospitals in the Minamikawachi district.
Results: The perforation sites were the large intestine in 22 cases, small intestine in 15, stomach in 7 and duodenum in 7. Postoperative complications developed in 25 cases (49%), including infection in 20 and respiratory dysfunction in 13. Hospital mortality was 25% and the major causes of death were infection and respiratory dysfunction. The mortality was 52% and 0% in patients with and without postoperative complications, respectively. The mortality was 69% in the 13 patients with postoperative respiratory dysfunction compared to 11% for patients without respiratory dysfunction. Of the 7 patients with large intestine perforation, 4 were treated with sivelestat sodium. These 4 patients had a high mean SOFA score (11.5±1.3), but 2 out of 4 survived.
Conclusions: Postoperative complications occurred in approximately half of the patients with GI perforation and were associated with a poor prognosis. Prevention of respiratory dysfunction is particularly important for an improvement of outcome.