Management of Digestive Surgical Emergencies in Children in a Developing Country (Newborns Excluded)

Abstract

Aim: It was a question of determining the epidemiological, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of the digestive surgical emergencies of the child in our environment. Patients and Methods: This is a prospective and descriptive study carried out for 12 months in the pediatric surgery department. Results: During the study period, on 668 patients admitted we retained 87 cases of digestive surgical emergencies; representing a hospital frequency of 13%. The mean age was 7.6 ± 3.5 years (range 30 days and 16 years). We noted a male predominance with 61 boys (70.1%) for 26 girls (29.9%). The taxi was the most used form of transportation in 77 cases (88.5%). The average consultation time was 5.4 days ± 5.3 days (1 hour and 21-day extremes). Abdominal pain was the main reason for consultation with 66.7% of cases. Generalized acute peritonitis was the predominant diagnosis with 32 cases (39.1%), followed by strangulated parietal hernias with 17 cases (19.5%) and acute intestinal intussusception with 11 cases (12.6%). The postoperative course was complicated in 27 cases (33.7%). parietal suppurations were the most common complication with 77.8% of cases. Six patients (6.9%) died. Conclusion: Digestive surgical emergencies represent a frequent nosological entity in our practice. Abdominal pain is the first reason for consultation. Appendicular peritonitis are the first cause of digestive surgical emergency in children in our practice. They remain a worrying problem for pediatric surgeons.