Typhoid perforation of the gut.

One-hundred consecutive patients with typhoid perforation of the gut admitted in the same surgical unit of the University Hospital have been studied. The cases were diagnosed on the basis of history, clinical examination, exploratory findings, histopathological examination, Widal test and blood culture. Forty-six patients had perforation in the second week of fever. Sixty-one patients presented 48-96 hr after perforation. All the patients were subjected to surgery, 16 under local anesthesia. Mortality rate increased from 25% to 83% as the duration between perforation and operation increased.