Background: Typhoid ileal perforation remains a serious complication of typhoid enteritis with high morbidity and mortality in many tropical countries.
Aims and objectives: To determine the prognostic factors in typhoid perforation in Kano, Nigeria.
Methodology: Fifty-three consecutive patients with typhoid perforation managed surgically were prospectively studied at the general surgical unit of Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital Kano, from March 2004 to February 2006.
Results: There were 26 (49.1%) males and 27 (50.9%) females, with age range of 2-55 years and a mean +/- SD of 12.2 +/- 10.2 years. The morbidity was 49.1% and the most common postoperative complications included wound infection, wound dehiscence, burst abdomen, residual intra-abdominal abscesses and enterocutaneous fistula. Mortality was 15.1% and was significantly affected by multiple perforations, severe peritoneal contamination and burst abdomen (p value <0.05, odds ratio >1). The mean duration of hospital stay for survivors was 16.1 days with a range of 8-57 days.
Conclusion: This study has attempted to determine the factors that statistically influence mortality in typhoid perforation in our environment.