Methylprednisolone sodium succinate (Solu-Medrol) in the treatment of typhoid perforation (a preliminary report).

It is now universally accepted that treatment of typhoid perforation must be surgical. In spite of this and the use of antibiotics, the mortality rate is still high. Previous observations that some patients with typhoid perforation present with features suggestive of septicaemia and septic shock made us conduct a clinical trial with methylprednisolone sodium succinate (Solu-Medrol) in treating this disease. Our data show that use of this drug in addition to antibiotics and early surgical intervention reduces the mortality rate in typhoid perforation.