Management of gastrointestinal tract perforations

Abstract

Digestive endoscopy has evolved from primary diagnosis to extensive therapeutic approaches for the management of gastrointestinal diseases. Increased health awareness has encouraged more people to undergo endoscopic examinations. For these reasons, the absolute number of iatrogenic perforations is likely to increase. Because of the very low incidence of perforations, clinicians are not always prepared or experienced in cases of unexpectedly encountered perforations during diagnostic or therapeutic endoscopic procedures. In this study, the proper approach to handling perforations is discussed including selection of endoscopic devices, endoscopic closure procedures, and management of patients after a perforation occurs in the gastrointestinal tract.