Perforated duodenal ulcer in a young child: An uncommon condition

Abstract

Duodenal ulcer is an uncommonly diagnosed entity in children. H. pylori infection, blood group 'O' or secondary to medications like non steroidal anti-infl ammatory drugs (NSAID) and corticosteroids or physiological stress in burns, head injury and mucosal ischemia are implicated as risk factors for their causation. The diagnosis is usually overlooked because of vague and variable symptoms and remote index of suspicion accounted for their low incidence in children. Undiagnosed or mistreated perforations may carry high morbidity and mortality. We report a successfully treated 41/2 year old male child who presented with features of perforation peritonitis and was incidentally found to have a perforated duodenal ulcer.