Eight patients managed for bowel injury following induced abortion were
studied for the pattern of morbidity and mortality. The patients were
aged 18-39 years. Three of them were married, five were single. Two of
the cases were detected at the time of termination of pregnancy. The
interval from termination of pregnancy to presentation in hospital was
two days to two weeks in the other six patients. Injury was in the
ileum in three, jejunum in two and the sigmoid colon in three. Twenty
surgical interventions were performed for primary treatment and
management of complications. Major complications were abdominal wound
dehiscence (5), faecal fistula (2) and postoperative diarrhoea (1).The
duration of hospitalisation at the first admission ranged from seven to
163 days. The excessive morbidity is attributed to delay in
presentation; most patients been seen after 72 hours. Primary repair of
colonic injury is discouraged. No death was recorded. Literature is
reviewed on the condition in West Africa and suggestion made on means
of reducing morbidity from induced abortion. (Afr J Reprod Health 2003;
7[3]: 65-68
