Acute intestinal obstruction in Nigerian children.

Over a 7 year period, intestinal obstruction accounted for 41.7 per cent of abdominal emergencies and 1.03 per cent of all paediatric admissions at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Of the total 76 cases of acute intestinal obstruction, intussuception was seen in 34 (44.7%), peritoneal adhesions in 17 (22.4%), obstructed hernia in 14 (18.4%), roundworm impaction in 4 (5.3%), volvulus in 3 (4.0%) while faecal impaction and mesenteric cysts were encountered in 2 children each (2.6%). Generally the patients presented late to the hospital and this accounted for the high post-operative morbidity and prolonged hospital stay. Wound infection occurred in 21.1 per cent of patients and formed the commonest post-operative complication. The overall mortality was 21.1 per cent.