Perforation

Perforation is the act or result of making a hole through a barrier, or the hole itself. Perforations can occur in solid materials as well as in living tissue, and the term is used across medical, engineering, and manufacturing contexts.

In medicine, perforation most often refers to a hole through the wall of a hollow organ, such as the stomach, intestines, or uterus, or through the tympanic membrane (eardrum). It is usually a medical emergency because contents can leak into normally sterile areas, potentially causing infection or peritonitis. Common causes include ulcers, inflammatory diseases, ischemia, trauma, or iatrogenic injury during medical procedures.

Symptoms and presentation depend on location but may include sudden severe pain, abdominal tenderness, fever, vomiting, or signs of sepsis. Diagnosis relies on clinical suspicion supported by imaging studies such as X-ray or CT scans to detect free air, and sometimes endoscopy or surgical exploration. Management varies with the site and cause but typically requires stabilization, broad-spectrum antibiotics, and urgent surgical repair or resection for hollow-organ perforations. Some contained perforations may be managed conservatively in select cases, but many require operative repair.

Outside of medicine, perforation refers to the deliberate creation of holes in materials. In engineering and manufacturing, perforated sheets or filters are produced by punching, laser cutting, or drilling and are used for filtration, acoustics, drainage, or decorative purposes. Perforation can affect the strength and integrity of a material, so design and material choice are important considerations.

Overall, perforation describes both the process of making a hole and the resulting opening, with medical and industrial meanings that reflect the context of barriers, tissues, or structural materials.