Bowel prolapse through perforated uterus following induced abortion.

Between 1991 and 1998, there were nine cases of uterine perforation following induced abortion with prolapse of the bowel out of the introitus, managed at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto. Non-physicians caused the injury in six cases. Interval between instrumentation and presentation ranged from 5 to 14 days. In all the cases, there was already necrosis of the involved bowel. The ileum was the most commonly involved bowel (6 cases; 67%) while the uterine injury was on the fundus most of the time (7 cases; 78%). Resection and anastomosis with uterine repair was the surgical procedure in all the cases. There were 3 cases of anastomotic leakage but no mortality. We do encounter major complications of induced abortion in our center. Apart from preventive measures against unwanted pregnancies, access to safe abortions by trained personnel might minimize this type of complication.