Acute Physiological and Chronic Health Evaluation II Score and its Correlation with Three Surgical Strategies for Management of Ileal Perforations

Uncommon ileal perforation due to intestinal tuberculosis: A case report and literature review

RATIONALE

Tuberculosis (TB) is a chronic granulomatous infectious disorder, caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Extrapulmonary TB, which accounts for 20% of cases, includes intestinal TB in 10%. Gastrointestinal TB leads to intestinal perforation in 4% to 7.6% of cases, with a mortality rate of 30%.

PATIENT CONCERNS

We conducted a retrospective analysis of a patient with ileal perforation due to intestinal TB. A male in his early 20s (initial weight, 35 kg) presented with a 2-day history of abdominal pain, exhibiting tenderness, rebound tenderness, and muscular guarding upon physical examination. Computed tomography (CT) imaging revealed a significant amount of free gas and fluid in the abdominal cavity. Subsequently, the patient underwent ileal repair and ileostomy.

DIAGNOSES

Histopathological examination confirmed multifocal amorphous pink caseating necrotic material and Langhans giant cells in the mesenteric lymph nodes. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay confirmed infection with M tuberculosis.

INTERVENTIONS

On the 20th postoperative day, enteral nutrition was initiated concomitantly with antitubercular therapy (ATT). After 1 month, enteral nutrition and oral diet were alternated for 2 months, then changed to oral diet alone, and the patient was discharged to continue ATT. Five months later, the patient's weight increased by 20 kg, and he began exercising outdoors. The patient underwent a successful ostomy reversal.

OUTCOMES

At the 12-month follow-up, his body weight had increased to 65 kg, PCR testing was negative for M tuberculosis, and antituberculosis drugs were discontinued.

LESSONS

This case highlights the successful management of ileal perforation due to intestinal TB with peritonitis, without complications such as fistulas. Diagnosis of small bowel perforations due to intestinal TB remains challenging even for experienced clinicians, and surgical approaches are controversial. We emphasized the significance of diagnostics of such cases and often requiring a multidisciplinary approach involving various medical teams.

Role of Acute Physiology, Age, and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II Score in Predicting Outcomes of Peritonitis Due to Hollow Viscous Perforation: A Prospective Observational Study

Background

The Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) is the most commonly used severity-of-disease scoring system in ICUs worldwide. There is a paucity of data describing the role of APACHE II score in predicting outcomes of peritonitis due to hollow viscous perforation. This study aims at identifying the importance of the APACHE II score in predicting outcomes of patients with peritonitis secondary to hollow viscus perforation.

Methods

The study is a prospective, observational study that included all the patients diagnosed with perforation peritonitis who underwent emergency laparotomy and were admitted to the Department of Surgery from May 2017 to May 2018. APACHE II scores were assigned to all patients in order to calculate their individual risk of mortality before undergoing emergency surgery. The accuracy in outcome prediction of the APACHE II system was assessed by means of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and Pearson correlation coefficient and its significance test.

Result

A total of 50 patients with perforation peritonitis were included in this study. Peptic ulcer disease was the major etiology leading to perforation in 54% of patients, followed by gangrenous bowel. The mean APACHE II score was 9.54. Out of the 50 patients, seven patients succumbed to the illness. All the seven patients whose APACHE II score > 16 developed systemic complications, and three of them developed a local complication.

Conclusion

APACHE II score correlated well with the outcome in the current study, and APACHE II score also correlated well with the hospital and ICU stay.

Comparative study between P- POSSUM and Apache II scores in predicting outcomes of perforation peritonitis: Prospective observational cohort study

BACKGROUND

Scoring systems are needed to prognosticate, compare and audit surgical procedures. Portsmouth Physiological and Operative Severity Score for the Enumeration of Mortality and morbidity (P-POSSUM) and Acute Physiological and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) are well known and validated scores to predict surgical outcomes. The objective of this study was to compare P-POSSUM and APACHE II scores in predicting morbidity and mortality of patients who underwent emergency surgery for perforation peritonitis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A prospective single-center cohort study was conducted with a sample size of 56 patients of perforation peritonitis from November 2018 to March 2020. All patients were followed up prospectively for a period of 30 days to monitor the primary outcome variable mortality and secondary outcome variables such as wound infection, wound dehiscence, anastomotic leak, respiratory complications, Intensive Care Unit (ICU) stay and hospital stay.

RESULTS

Mean age of patients was 37.1 years and 67.86% were males. Ileum was the most common site of perforation followed by the stomach. The most common post-operative complication was wound infection (71.43%) followed by respiratory complications (64.29%) and wound dehiscence (35.71%). ICU stay was required for a majority of patients (74.42%). The mean hospital stay was 8.93 days and the mortality rate was 23.21% in this study. P-POSSUM and APACHE II scores had a good association with mortality, post-operative wound dehiscence, respiratory complications, ICU stay and hospital stay. However, there was no statistical difference between the two scores in predicting the above outcomes. Post-operative wound infection and anastomotic leak had no association with P-POSSUM or APACHE II scores.

CONCLUSION

As the APACHE II score is based only on preoperative parameters and is easier to calculate we recommend its use for patients of perforation peritonitis over the P-POSSUM score as both have similar predictability.