An Uncommon Cause of Acute Abdomen in Underprivileged Communities

Mahomva Farai, Muchuweti D, Mungani H and Muguti EG

Department of Surgery, University of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe
Department of Surgery, Harare Central Hospital, Zimbabwe

^*Correspondance to: Muchuweti D 

 PDF  Full Text Case Report | Open Access

Abstract:

Oftentimes general surgeons working in poorly resourced communities carry out emergency abdominal surgery in patients with acute abdomen with no definitive preoperative diagnosis. The definitive diagnosis is made at laparotomy. Perforated small bowel obstruction secondary to heavy Infestation with Ascaris lumbricoides brings a number of intraoperative challenges requiring correct intraoperative surgical management decisions. We present a case of a 17 year-old patient who was admitted with a diagnosis of small bowel obstruction that at laparotomy was found to have perforated gangrenous small bowel volvulus with heavy worm load visible through the bowel wall. Because of fecal peritoneal contamination and hemodynamic instability she underwent a two staged procedure with good outcome.

Keywords:

Ascarias lumbricoides; Ascariasis; Infestation; Volvulus; Obstruction; Gangrenous

Cite the Article:

Farai M, Muchuweti D, Mungani H, Muguti EG. An Uncommon Cause of Acute Abdomen in Underprivileged Communities. Ann Clin Case Rep. 2019; 4: 1635.