Patterns And Early Treatment Outcomes Of Peritonitis Among Patients Admitted At Dodoma Regional Referral Hospital, Dodoma Region, Tanzania

ABSTRACT

Background: Peritonitis is a common surgical condition which can occur either primarily or secondarily to other underlying pathologies including post-operation. Studies show that the major causes of peritonitis are bowels perforations, perforated appendix, volvulus and strangulated bowel. Objective: This study aimed at describing the patterns, and early treatment outcomes of patients with peritonitis at Dodoma Regional Referral Hospital. Methods: This was a prospective cross-sectional hospital-based study which included all patients admitted with the clinical features of peritonitis for seven months from 1/10/2015 to 30/4/2016. The study was conducted in surgical wards of Dodoma Regional Referral Hospital which is located in Dodoma Region, central part of Tanzania. Results: A total number of 66 patients with generalized peritonitis were involved in the study. Of these, 23 (34.85%) were females and 43 (65.15%) were males. Perforation was found to be the commonest cause accounting for 51 (77.3%) and was slightly higher in males than female patients. Typhoid fever was the leading cause of perforations leading to peritonitis in 12 patients (18.18% ) followed by abdominal trauma 9 patients (13.64%) while the least causes were inflammatory bowel disease and idiopathic 2 patients each (6.06% ). Conclusion: Generalized peritonitis was found to be a common problem at Dodoma Referral Regional Hospital and in the developing countries as a whole. It seems to affects individuals mostly from low social economic class of which males were affected more than females. Mortality and morbidity found to be high.