Bowel obstruction, also known as intestinal obstruction, is a mechanical or functional obstruction of the intestines which prevents the normal movement of the products of digestion.[2][5] Either the small bowel or large bowel may be affected.[1] Signs and symptoms include abdominal pain, vomiting, bloating and not passing gas.[1] Mechanical obstruction is the cause of about 5 to 15% of cases of severe abdominal pain of sudden onset requiring admission to hospital.[1][2]
Causes of bowel obstruction include adhesions, hernias, volvulus, endometriosis, inflammatory bowel disease, appendicitis, tumors, diverticulitis, ischemic bowel, tuberculosis and intussusception.[1][2] Small bowel obstructions are most often due to adhesions and hernias while large bowel obstructions are most often due to tumors and volvulus.[1][2] The diagnosis may be made on plain X-rays; however, CT scan is more accurate.[1] Ultrasound or MRI may help in the diagnosis of children or pregnant women.[1]
The condition may be treated conservatively or with surgery.[2] Typically intravenous fluids are given, a nasogastric (NG) tube is placed through the nose into the stomach to decompress the intestines, and pain medications are given.[2] Antibiotics are often given.[2] In small bowel obstruction about 25% require surgery.[6] Complications may include sepsis, bowel ischemia and bowel perforation.[1]
About 3.2 million cases of bowel obstruction occurred in 2015 which resulted in 264,000 deaths.[3][7] Both sexes are equally affected and the condition can occur at any age.[6] Bowel obstruction has been documented throughout history, with cases detailed in the Ebers Papyrus of 1550 BC and by Hippocrates.[8]
^ abcdefghijklGore RM, Silvers RI, Thakrar KH, Wenzke DR, Mehta UK, Newmark GM, et al. (November 2015). "Bowel Obstruction". Radiologic Clinics of North America. 53 (6): 1225–40. doi:10.1016/j.rcl.2015.06.008. PMID 26526435.
^ abcdefghiFitzgerald JE (2010). "Small Bowel Obstruction". Emergency Surgery. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell. pp. 74–79. doi:10.1002/9781444315172.ch14. ISBN 978-1-4051-7025-3. Archived from the original on September 8, 2017.
^ abVos T, Allen C, Arora M, Barber RM, Bhutta ZA, Brown A, et al. (October 2016). "Global, regional, and national incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability for 310 diseases and injuries, 1990-2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015". Lancet. 388 (10053): 1545–1602. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(16)31678-6. PMC 5055577. PMID 27733282.
^Long D, Mao C, Liu Y, Zhou T, Xu Y, Zhu Y (October 3, 2023). "Global, regional, and national burden of intestinal obstruction from 1990 to 2019: an analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019". International Journal of Colorectal Disease. 38 (1): 245. doi:10.1007/s00384-023-04522-6. ISSN 1432-1262.
^Adams JG (2012). Emergency Medicine: Clinical Essentials (Expert Consult -- Online). Elsevier Health Sciences. p. 331. ISBN 978-1-4557-3394-1. Archived from the original on September 8, 2017.
^ abFerri FF (2014). Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2015: 5 Books in 1. Elsevier Health Sciences. p. 1093. ISBN 978-0-323-08430-7. Archived from the original on September 8, 2017.
^Wang H, Naghavi M, Allen C, Barber RM, Bhutta ZA, Carter A, et al. (October 2016). "Global, regional, and national life expectancy, all-cause mortality, and cause-specific mortality for 249 causes of death, 1980-2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015". Lancet. 388 (10053): 1459–1544. doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(16)31012-1. PMC 5388903. PMID 27733281.
^Yeo CJ, McFadden DW, Pemberton JH, Peters JH, Matthews JB (2012). Shackelford's Surgery of the Alimentary Tract. Elsevier Health Sciences. p. 1851. ISBN 978-1-4557-3807-6. Archived from the original on September 8, 2017.
Bowelobstruction, also known as intestinal obstruction, is a mechanical or functional obstruction of the intestines which prevents the normal movement...
and signs of a bowelobstruction occur, but with the absence of a mechanical obstruction, mainly in acute colonic pseudo-obstruction, Ogilvie's syndrome...
around itself and the mesentery that supports it, resulting in a bowelobstruction. Symptoms include abdominal pain, abdominal bloating, vomiting, constipation...
the abdominal wall and sepsis. Perforation may be caused by trauma, bowelobstruction, diverticulitis, stomach ulcers, cancer, or infection. A CT scan is...
resection may be performed to treat gastrointestinal cancer, bowel ischemia, necrosis, or obstruction due to scar tissue, volvulus, and hernias. Some patients...
Neonatal bowelobstruction (NBO) or neonatal intestinal obstruction is the most common surgical emergency in the neonatal period. It may occur due to a...
The small intestine or small bowel is an organ in the gastrointestinal tract where most of the absorption of nutrients from food takes place. It lies...
sidewall of the bowel, which can result in bowel strangulation leading to perforation through ischaemia without causing bowelobstruction or any of its...
example, mesenteric ischemia) and other causes of bowelobstruction. Primary vascular causes of bowel infarction, also known as mesenteric ischemia, are...
Sometimes, inflamed diverticula can cause narrowing of the bowel, leading to an obstruction. In some cases, the affected part of the colon adheres to the...
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and/or vomiting include chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and malignant bowelobstruction. Anticipatory nausea and vomiting may also occur. Nausea and vomiting...
part of the pelvis into which a loop of bowel may easily fall. In one review, incidence of small bowelobstruction due to intestinal adhesion was found to...
hernia may result from surgery and re-arrangement of the bowel and is a cause of bowelobstruction. Antecolic antegastric Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery...
include faecal impaction and bowelobstruction, which may in turn be caused by ileus, intussusception, volvulus. Inflammatory bowel disease is a condition of...
obstruction. A strangulated femoral hernia occurs when a constriction of the hernia limits or completely obstructs blood supply to part of the bowel involved...
irritable bowel syndrome, lactose intolerance, reflux, and constipation. Specific medical conditions like Crohn's disease or bowelobstruction can also...
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional gastrointestinal disorder characterized by a group of symptoms that commonly include abdominal pain, abdominal...
pains. Complications may include iron deficiency anemia, volvulus, or bowelobstruction. The most common risk factors are obesity and older age. Other risk...
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