Nontraumatic perforations of the small intestine.

Nontraumatic perforation of the small intestine is very rarely found as a cause of acute abdominal disease. A series of 15 adult patients admitted to our hospital from 1973 to 1983 is reviewed. Underlying conditions were primary neoplasia (three patients), adhesions (three patients), intraluminal foreign bodies (two patients), metastases (two patients) and diverticulum (one patient). In four patients, the pathogenesis remained unclear (idiopathic perforations). As surgical therapy, resection and anastomosis is preferred in order to make a thorough histologic examination of the perforated bowel possible. A possible role of local drug toxicity in the pathogenesis of perforations has been discussed herein. No anastomotic leakage was observed. Four patients died (27 percent).