ORIGINAL ARTICLES

Gall bladder complications resulting from typhoid fever in children: Challenges of management and lessons learned

Akputa Aja Obasi¹, Arinze Aetelbert Igboanugo²

¹ Paediatric Surgery Unit, Department of Surgery, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching, Hospital Abakaliki, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria; Department of Surgery, Ebonyi State University Abakaliki, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria
² 2 Paediatric Surgery Unit, Department of Surgery, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching, Hospital Abakaliki, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria

Correspondence Address:
Dr. Akputa Aja Obasi
Paediatric Surgery Unit, Department of Surgery, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, P M B 102, Abakaliki 480001, Ebonyi State. Nigeria

Source of grant: None
Conflict of Interest: None

Background: Surgical complications of typhoid fever present commonly as gut perforation and very rarely as gall bladder gangrene or gall bladder perforation. Gall bladder complications are rare in children and when they occur they are often the result of an infective condition. Occasionally, typhoid fever causes concomitant gall bladder complications and gut perforation. The coexistence of both conditions accentuates morbidity and mortality.We present two cases of typhoid fever with gall bladder perforation and gall bladder gangrene, respectively. Challenges of diagnosis and treatment are highlighted. The need for surgeons in endemic areas to consider these conditions while evaluating children with peritonitis is emphasized. Ultrasound detection of thickened distended gall bladder with pericholecystic fluid in a child with typhoid fever may be a sign of impending gall bladder perforation. To reduce the high morbidity and mortality from surgical complications of typhoid fever, the implementation of proven preventive measures must be encouraged. In addition, public enlightenment of this scourge must be pursued with vigor.