Spectrum of perforated peptic ulcer disease in a tertiary care hospital in South India: predictors of morbidity and mortality

Background: Perforated peptic ulcer remains one of the most common surgical emergencies in India with significant morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to identify the perioperative risk factors influencing the post-operative morbidity and mortality in patients with perforated peptic ulcer disease.Methods: Five-hundred patients who underwent surgery for perforated peptic ulcer in our institution in the preceding 8 years were included in this observational retrospective study. Their clinical presentations, peri-operative managements were studied and analysed.Results: Five hundred cases were analysed of which 96% were males. Mean age was 46.5 years. A total of 160 patients had duodenal perforation and 328 had gastric perforation with a mean size of 8.6 mm. Most patients (96.2%) underwent omental patch closure of the perforation with mean length of hospitalization being 14 days. The most common major and minor postoperative complications were prolonged intubation and pulmonary complaints respectively. Re-exploration was needed in 6.2% of cases with a post-operative leak rate of 5.8%. Age >60 years, presence of comorbid illnesses, shock at presentation and perforation size >1 cm were identified as independent predictors of postoperative morbidity. Overall mortality was 11.6% while specific mortality among males and females were 11.8% and 5% respectively. Age >60 years, shock at presentation, presence of abdominal rigidity and size of perforation >1 cm were independent predictors of mortality.Conclusion: Old age, comorbidities, shock at presentation, perforation size >1 cm, higher ASA grade, prolonged surgery and biliopurulent contamination >500 mL were independent predictors of both increased post-operative morbidity and mortality.