perforation

views updated

perforation (per-fer-ay-shŏn) n. the creation of a hole in an organ, tissue, or tube. This may occur in the course of a disease, such as duodenal ulcer, colonic diverticulitis, or stomach cancer. Treatment is usually by surgical repair of the perforation, but conservative treatment with antibiotics may result in spontaneous healing. Perforation may also be caused accidentally by instruments (for example a curette may perforate the uterus) or by injury (for example to the eardrum).

More From encyclopedia.com