Omental plug using double horizontal mattress suture for gastric perforation on elderly patients with boey score 3: A case series

Introduction: Gastric perforation is a life-threatening condition. Patients with gastric perforation with Boey score 3 has very high mortality rate. Immediate source control is required for primary repair and preventing further complications. Furthermore, elderly patients pose a greater risk of morbidity and mortality in cases of gastric perforation, especially during and after emergency surgery.

Case presentation: We present two cases of elderly patients with gastric perforation with Boey score 3. We performed omental plugging technique with double horizontal mattress suture type. In these cases, we decided not to perform biopsy and margin freshening of the perforation.

Discussion: We performed omental plugging technique because we are confident that it could cover the perforation completely without causing gastric outlet obstruction. An emergency source control surgery can be effectively done with this omental plugging procedure. During surgery, margin freshening and biopsy is not performed to perform source control more quickly. This surgical procedure aligned with "quick in-quick out" concept that we adopted for treating patients with gastric perforation. Omental plugging also allows patient to undergo ERAS program for better and faster recovery. The patients were discharged from the hospital without further complications and long-term follow-up showed good results.

Conclusion: Omental plugging has the least risk of complications than other perforation repair techniques and can be done for small and large perforation. Based on our case series, omental plug with double mattress suture is an effective and safe procedure to be performed in elderly patients with gastric perforation with Boey score 3.