Medication
Apr 01, 2022 · Intestinal or bowel obstruction - discharge. You were in the hospital because you had a blockage in your bowel (intestine). This condition is called an intestinal obstruction. The blockage may be partial or total (complete). This article describes what to expect after surgery and how to take care of yourself at home.
Procedures
Mechanical obstruction is divided into obstruction of the small bowel (including the duodenum) and obstruction of the large bowel. Obstruction may be partial or complete. About 85% of partial small-bowel obstructions resolve with nonoperative treatment, whereas about 85% of complete small-bowel obstructions require surgery.
Therapy
If a patient is felt to be safe for nonoperative management, the cardinal rule of general surgeons to “never let the sun rise or set on a small bowel obstruction” should be kept in mind, and ...
Nutrition
A bowel obstruction is when there is an obstruction or blockage in the intestines. This blockage impedes the passage contents through the GI tract thus causing dehydration, nutrient deficiency, and other complications. obstruction is a sudden or gradual blockage of the intestinal tract that prevents the normal passage of GI contents through the ...
Why was I in the hospital for an intestinal obstruction?
Jan 20, 2021 · Untreated, intestinal obstruction can cause serious, life-threatening complications, including: Tissue death. Intestinal obstruction can cut off the blood supply to part of your intestine. Lack of blood causes the intestinal wall to die. Tissue death can result in a tear (perforation) in the intestinal wall, which can lead to infection. Infection.
What should be included in patient education about intestinal obstruction?
Jan 15, 2011 · Contrast studies, such as a small bowel follow-through, can be helpful in the diagnosis of a partial intestinal obstruction in patients …
What is the treatment for a bowel obstruction?
Aug 08, 2021 · Mechanical obstruction: A blockage inside the lumen (passageway) of the small or large intestine can result from cancer, inflammatory bowel disease IBD), swelling, or infection. Constriction: Pressure from outside the intestines can create pressure.This can occur due to cancer or scar tissue that often develops after abdominal surgery or radiation therapy.
What should I do if I have a partially blocked intestine?
People with advanced cancer within the abdominal cavity can develop blockages of the bowel that cannot be treated surgically. This may cause nausea and vomiting and an inability to absorb enough nutrition via the gut. An alternative to conventional feeding when the gut does not work, is feeding through a vein, known as parenteral nutrition (PN).
What is the best treatment for intestinal obstruction?
Surgery is usually the best treatment for a totally blocked intestine when your bowel is damaged. Your doctor can treat the cause of the obstruction or take out the blocked area and any damaged tissue. If you have surgery, you may need a colostomy or ileostomy.Aug 10, 2020
How will you manage a patient with intestinal obstruction?
Management of uncomplicated obstructions includes fluid resuscitation with correction of metabolic derangements, intestinal decompression, and bowel rest. Evidence of vascular compromise or perforation, or failure to resolve with adequate bowel decompression is an indication for surgical intervention.Jan 15, 2011
How do you treat a bowel obstruction in a child?
This may be done for certain suspected causes of obstruction. During the procedure, the doctor will insert air or liquid barium into the colon through the rectum. For intussusception in children, an air or barium enema can actually fix the problem most of the time, and no further treatment is needed.Jan 20, 2021
What is the treatment of choice for a child with intussusception?
Treatment options for intussusception may include: A water soluble contrast or air enema. This is both a diagnostic procedure and a treatment. If an enema works, further treatment is usually not necessary.Jan 19, 2021
What are the complication of intestinal obstruction?
Intestinal obstruction can cut off the blood supply to part of your intestine. Lack of blood causes the intestinal wall to die. Tissue death can result in a tear (perforation) in the intestinal wall, which can lead to infection. Infection.Jan 20, 2021
Does SBO require surgery?
Surgical Care In patients with a complete small-bowel obstruction (SBO), the risk of strangulation is high and early surgical intervention is warranted. Patients with simple complete obstructions in whom nonoperative trials fail also need surgical treatment but experience no apparent disadvantage to delayed surgery.Apr 28, 2017
What is a bowel obstruction in a child?
A bowel blockage can prevent gas, fluids, or solids from moving through the intestines as they should. This is also called an intestinal obstruction. It can cause constipation. Your child may have pain, nausea, vomiting, and cramping.
What is the most common cause of bowel obstruction in children?
Intussusception is the most common cause of intestinal obstruction in children younger than 3 years old.Jan 19, 2021
What is the most common complication which a patient with a small bowel obstruction might experience?
A bowel obstruction, whether partial or complete, can lead to serious and life threatening conditions if left untreated. The intestine can get swollen from the trapped air, fluid, and food. This swelling can make the intestine less able to absorb fluid. This leads to dehydration and kidney failure.
What is the prevention of volvulus and intussusception?
(There is a tiny chance that the rotavirus vaccination may make intussusception more likely, but it seems to be in the region of 1-5 extra cases of intussusception in every 100,000 children vaccinated. Balancing that out, the vaccination prevents many cases of rotavirus infection and saves many lives.Jul 24, 2018
Is intussusception a bowel obstruction?
Intussusception is a form of bowel obstruction in which one segment of intestine telescopes inside of another. Although it can occur anywhere in the gastrointestinal tract, it usually occurs where the small and large intestines meet.Jul 7, 2020
Why does intussusception happen?
Additional causes in adults A polyp, tumor, or scar tissue in the intestine may trigger intussusception in adults. A digestive disorder, such as Crohn's disease, may also lead to intussusception. Weight loss surgery or other procedures on the intestine may cause intussusception, too.
What to expect when you have bowel obstruction?
The outcome is usually good if the obstruction is treated before tissue damage or tissue death occurs in the bowel. Some people may have more bowel obstruction in the future. Your symptoms may be completely gone. Or, you may still have some discomfort, and your stomach may still feel bloated.
What is it called when you have a blockage in your bowel?
Intestinal or bowel obstruction - discharge. You were in the hospital because you had a blockage in your bowel (intestine). This condition is called an intestinal obstruction. The blockage may be partial or total (complete). This article describes what to expect after surgery and how to take care of yourself at home.
How to get rid of a stomach ache?
Take sips of clear liquids throughout the day. Some foods may cause gas, loose stools, or constipation as you recover. Avoid foods that cause these problems. If you become sick to your stomach or have diarrhea, avoid solid foods for a while and try drinking only clear fluids.
Can a surgeon sew the ends of the intestines back together?
Your surgeon may have been able to sew the healthy ends of your intestines back together. You may also have had ileostomy or a colostomy. If a tumor or cancer caused the blockage in your intestine, the surgeon may have removed it.
What are the symptoms of intestinal obstruction?
Obstruction of the small bowel causes symptoms shortly after onset: abdominal cramps centered around the umbilicus or in the epigastrium, vomiting, and—in patients with complete obstruction—obstipation. Patients with partial obstruction may develop diarrhea.
What is the term for obstruction of the intestine?
Intestinal obstruction is significant mechanical impairment or complete arrest of the passage of contents through the intestine due to pathology that causes blockage of the bowel. Symptoms include cramping pain, vomiting, obstipation, and lack of flatus. Diagnosis is clinical and confirmed by abdominal x-rays. Treatment is fluid resuscitation, nasogastric suction, and, in most cases of complete obstruction, surgery.
What causes mechanical obstruction?
Overall, the most common causes of mechanical obstruction are adhesions, hernias , and tumors. Other general causes are diverticulitis , foreign bodies (including gallstones ), volvulus (twisting of bowel on its mesentery), intussusception (telescoping of one segment of bowel into another), and fecal impaction.
How long does it take for a strangulating obstruction to progress?
It is usually associated with hernia, volvulus, and intussusception. Strangulating obstruction can progress to infarction and gangrene in as little as 6 hours. Venous obstruction occurs first, followed by arterial occlusion, resulting in rapid ischemia of the bowel wall.
What does a large bowel obstruction show on an x-ray?
Infarcted bowel may produce a mass effect on x-ray. Gas in the bowel wall (pneumatosis intestinalis) indicates gangrene. In large-bowel obstruction, abdominal x-ray shows distention of the colon proximal to the obstruction. In cecal volvulus, there may be a large gas bubble in the mid-abdomen or left upper quadrant.
What are the signs of a silent abdomen?
With infarction, the abdomen becomes tender and auscultation reveals a silent abdomen or minimal peristalsis. Shock and oliguria are serious signs that indicate either late simple obstruction or strangulation. Cecal Volvulus.
Is strangulation rare in small bowel?
In large-bowel obstruction, strangulation is rare ( except with volvulus). Perforation may occur in an ischemic segment (typically small bowel) or when marked dilation occurs. The risk is high if the cecum is dilated to a diameter ≥ 13 cm. Perforation of a tumor or a diverticulum may also occur at the obstruction site.
Are you confident of the intestinal obstruction diagnosis?
The lumen prevents normal flow of luminal contents. In a simple obstruction there is a single point of obstruction, whereas a closed-loop obstruction is caused by two distinct points of obstruction.
What disease states can produce this sign or symptom?
In 1900, Gibson reported that 35% of intestinal obstructions were due to strangulated hernias, while 19% were due to adhesive bands; but currently in the Western world, adhesions have become the most frequent cause of adult small bowel obstruction, accounting for 74% of cases in a series by Miller.
What urgent or emergent measures should be initiated even before the intestinal obstruction diagnosis is established?
Fluid resuscitation, holding oral intake, and nasogastric decompression should be initiated on presentation for patients with suspected bowel obstruction. Urine output should be monitored closely. As laboratory results are obtained, electrolyte abnormalities should be corrected.
What is the appropriate initial diagnostic approach to identify the specific underlying disease?
Diagnosis of bowel obstruction is typically made by clinical and radiographic features.
What is the diagnostic approach if this initial evaluation fails to identify the cause?
If other studies are indeterminate and symptoms persist, enteroclysis is sometimes helpful. The volume challenge of the barium and the time-lapse imaging allow for enhanced visualization of the lumen of the bowel, especially in the case of a low-grade or intermittent obstruction.
What are the pathologic effects of acute intestinal obstruction?
The pathologic effects of acute intestinal obstruction are fluid and electrolyte imbalances, and mechanical consequences of increased luminal pressure on intestinal perfusion. Fluid loss from emesis, bowel wall edema, and loss of absorptive capacity lead to dehydration.
What should be included in a patient with suspected obstruction?
Laboratory evaluation of patients with suspected obstruction should include a complete blood count, metabolic panel, and serum lactate level. Hypokalemic, hypochloremic metabolic alkalosis may be noted in patients with emesis. Elevated blood urea nitrogen, hemoglobin, and hematocrit levels suggest dehydration. Leukocyte counts may be elevated if intestinal bacteria translocate into the bloodstream or if intestinal perforation has occurred. The development of metabolic acidosis, especially in a patient with an increasing serum lactate level, may signal bowel ischemia. 6, 15 These indicators should be considered in the assessment by the surgical team to help determine the need for operative intervention.
What is the purpose of antibiotics in bowel disease?
Antibiotics are used to treat intestinal overgrowth of bacteria and translocation across the bowel wall. 8, 26 The presence of fever and leukocytosis should prompt inclusion of antibiotics in the initial treatment regimen, with coverage against gram-negative organisms and anaerobes.
What are the symptoms of intestinal obstruction?
The hallmarks of intestinal obstruction include colicky abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, abdominal distension, and cessation of flatus and bowel movements. The differential diagnosis should be considered ( Table 2). The presence and severity of symptoms vary based on the acuity of the obstruction and its anatomic location. Distal obstructions allow for a greater intestinal reser voir and may present with pain and distension that are more significant than emesis, whereas the opposite may be true for patients with proximal obstructions. 6, 14 Very early obstructions may have mild, vague symptoms such as bloating and abdominal discomfort. Patients should be asked about their history of abdominal or pelvic surgery, intra-abdominal neoplasia, hernia, and inflammatory bowel disease.
What does an abdominal exam reveal?
Abdominal examination may reveal a distended, tympanitic abdomen, with high-pitched bowel sounds in patients with early obstruction or absent sounds in patients with advanced obstruction as the intestinal tract becomes hypotonic.
What is the best imaging modality for intestinal obstruction?
The American College of Radiology recommends computed tomography ( CT) as the initial imaging modality for evaluation of intestinal obstruction in patients with high clinical suspicion. Intravenous contrast CT of the abdomen and pelvis is recommended for patients with suspected high-grade obstruction based on clinical symptoms or plain films, when administration of enteric contrast would be poorly tolerated and unlikely to reach the site of obstruction. In patients with partial obstruction, oral contrast media may be seen traversing the length of the intestine without a discrete area of transition. In patients without high-grade obstruction or in whom intravenous contrast is contraindicated, oral or nasogastric tube administration of water-soluble, iso-osmolar enteric contrast media is recommended. When these guidelines are followed, CT is sensitive for detection of high-grade obstruction and can define the cause and level of obstruction in most patients. 17, 19 Classic findings in patients with acute intestinal obstruction include gastrointestinal tract dilation proximal to the site of obstruction, with decompression distally.
What is pseudo obstruction?
Pseudo-obstruction (Ogilvie syndrome) Acutely dilated large intestine, diabetes mellitus, history of intestinal dysmotility, scleroderma. Tachycardia and hypotension may indicate severe dehydration, but they may also be signs of systemic inflammatory response syndrome or sepsis.
Pathophysiology
A bowel obstruction is when there is an obstruction or blockage in the intestines. This blockage impedes the passage contents through the GI tract thus causing dehydration, nutrient deficiency, and other complications.
Etiology
There are two ways a bowel obstruction can occur. Mechanical obstruction occurs when something is physically blocking the lumen of the intestine. This can come from hernia, fecal impaction, strangulation, or adhesions. Functional obstruction occurs when the intestine fails to move contents forward. This is most likely attributed to paralytic ileus.
Desired Outcome
Patient will have normal fluid balance; patient will be free from infection; patient will have a normal elimination pattern.
What causes a child to have a blocked intestine?
Other possible causes of intestinal obstruction include: Inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn's disease.
What is the cause of intestinal obstruction?
Causes of intestinal obstruction may include fibrous bands of tissue (adhesions) in the abdomen that form after surgery; hernias; colon cancer; certain medications; or strictures from an inflamed intestine caused by ...
What is the condition where one part of the intestine slides inside an adjacent part?
Intussusception is a rare, serious disorder in which one part of the intestine slides inside an adjacent part. The most common causes of intestinal obstruction in adults are: Intestinal adhesions — bands of fibrous tissue in the abdominal cavity that can form after abdominal or pelvic surgery.
What causes a child's intestine to be infected?
Other possible causes of intestinal obstruction include: Inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn's disease. Diverticulitis — a condition in which small, bulging pouches (diverticula) in the digestive tract become inflamed or infected.
What happens if you have an obstruction in your intestine?
Intestinal obstruction can cut off the blood supply to part of your intestine. Lack of blood causes the intestinal wall to die. Tissue death can result in a tear (perforation) in the intestinal wall, which can lead to infection. Infection.
What causes adhesions in the abdomen?
Abdominal or pelvic surgery, which often causes adhesions — a common intestinal obstruction. Crohn's disease, which can cause the intestine's walls to thicken, narrowing the passageway. Cancer in your abdomen.
What causes paralytic ileus?
Causes can include: Abdominal or pelvic surgery. Infection. Certain medications that affect muscles and nerves, including antidepressants and opioids. Muscle and nerve disorders, such as Parkinson's disease.
What causes intestinal obstruction?
Intestinal obstruction is most commonly caused by intra-abdominal adhesions, malignancy, or intestinal herniation. The clinical presentation generally includes nausea and emesis, colicky abdominal pain, and a failure to pass flatus or bowel movements.
What should be included in a patient with suspected obstruction?
Laboratory evaluation of patients with suspected obstruction should include a complete blood count and metabolic panel. Hypokalemic, hypochloremic metabolic alkalosis may be noted in patients with severe emesis. Elevated blood urea nitrogen levels are consistent with dehydration, and hemoglobin and hematocrit levels may be increased. The white blood cell count may be elevated if intestinal bacteria translocate into the bloodstream, causing the systemic inflammatory response syndrome or sepsis. The development of metabolic acidosis, especially in a patient with an increasing serum lactate level, may signal bowel ischemia.
What percentage of emergency department visits are for abdominal pain?
Intestinal obstruction accounts for approximately 15 percent of all emergency department visits for acute abdominal pain. 1 Complications of intestinal obstruction include bowel ischemia and perforation.
How to treat abdominal malignancy?
Abdominal malignancy can be treated with primary resection and reconstruction or palliative diversion, or placement of venting and feeding tubes. Treatment of stable patients with intestinal obstruction and a history of abdominal surgery presents a challenge.
What happens when a bowel is dilate?
Ongoing dilation of the intestine increases luminal pressures. When luminal pressures exceed venous pressures, loss of venous drainage causes increasing edema and hyperemia of the bowel. This may eventually lead to compromised arterial flow to the bowel, causing ischemia, necrosis, and perforation.
When should CT be ordered?
Therefore, in most patients, CT should be ordered when the diagnosis is in doubt, when there is no surgical history or hernias to explain the etiology, or when there is a high index of suspicion for complete or high-grade obstruction.
What does a doctor do if you have bowel obstruction?
If you have symptoms of bowel obstruction—for example, severe pain, intermittent cramping, changes in bowel movements—your doctor will do a physical examination to check your abdomen and your bowel sounds. 4
What is bowel obstruction surgery?
Bowel obstruction surgery is an interventional procedure that involves both: Removal of any material that's blocking the intestines (such as feces, cancer, a polyp, an infectious abscess, or a twist in the bowel) Repair of regions of the intestine that may have been damaged due to the obstruction.
What are the factors that determine the approach of bowel surgery?
When deciding on an approach, your surgeons will consider several things, including the number and location of the blockages, the cause of the bowel obstruction, your risk of infection, and any previous surgeries.
What are the risks of bowel surgery?
In addition to the standard risks of surgery and anesthesia, possible complications following bowel obstruction surgery include: 3 . Edema (accumulation of fluid and inflammation) Infection. New, persistent, or worsened bowel obstruction after surgery. Damage to nearby organs in the body .
When is a temporary colostomy needed?
12 . Colostomy/ileostomy: If your intestines are damaged or inflamed, a permanent or temporary ileostomy or colostomy, which is an artificial opening in your abdomen for waste or stool evacuation, may be needed.
When is bowel surgery performed?
on September 11, 2020. Bowel obstruction surgery is performed when there is a partial or complete blockage of the bowels, which include the small intestine and the large intestine. Procedures to treat bowel obstruction range from minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery to more complicated open surgical procedures.
Why does my intestine twist?
Rotation: Twisting of the intestine can be a consequence of scar tissue, muscle disease, or nerve disease.
Causes
Pathophysiology
Types
Signs and symptoms
Specialist to consult
Diagnosis
- Treatment for intestinal obstruction depends on the cause of your condition, but generally requires hospitalization.
Medical uses
Variations
Treatment
- The pathologic effects of acute intestinal obstruction are fluid and electrolyte imbalances, and mechanical consequences of increased luminal pressure on intestinal perfusion. Fluid loss from emesis, bowel wall edema, and loss of absorptive capacity lead to dehydration. Emesis causes loss of gastric potassium, hydrogen, and chloride, which generates metabolic alkalosis. Signific…
Prognosis
- Acute intestinal obstruction may be broadly differentiated into small and large bowel obstruction. However, this review focuses on the evaluation and management of SBO in adolescents and adults.
Research
- The hallmarks of intestinal obstruction include colicky abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, abdominal distension, and cessation of flatus and bowel movements. The differential diagnosis should be considered (Table 2). The presence and severity of symptoms vary based on the acuity of the obstruction and its anatomic location. Distal obstructions allow for a greater intestinal res…
Selected publications
- Tachycardia and hypotension may indicate severe dehydration, but they may also be signs of systemic inflammatory response syndrome or sepsis. Abdominal examination may reveal a distended, tympanitic abdomen, with high-pitched bowel sounds in patients with early obstruction or absent sounds in patients with advanced obstruction as the intestinal tract becomes hypotoni…