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All About
Bowel Obstruction
Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of intestinal obstruction include:
- Crampy abdominal pain that comes and goes
- Loss of appetite Constipation
- Vomiting
- Inability to have a bowel movement or pass gas
- Swelling of the abdomen
Causes
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
- Colon cancer
In children, the most common cause of intestinal obstruction is telescoping of the intestine (intussusception).
Other possible causes of intestinal obstruction include:
- Hernias portions of intestine that protrude into another part of your body
- 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
- Twisting of the colon (volvulus)
- Impacted feces
More about Treatment
Intestinal obstruction is a blockage that keeps food or liquid from passing through your small intestine or large intestine (colon). Causes of intestinal obstruction may include fibrous bands of tissue (adhesions) in the abdomen that form after surgery, an inflamed intestine (Crohn's disease), infected pouches in your intestine (diverticulitis), hernias and colon cancer.
Without treatment, the blocked parts of the intestine can die, leading to serious problems. However, with prompt medical care, intestinal obstruction often can be successfully treated.
FAQ on this Treatment
Who is prone to developing bowel obstruction?
Adults or children who have had previous abdominal surgeries are at risk of developing obstruction. Inflammatory bowel diseases, colon cancer and radiation therapy are also associated factors.
How can bowel obstruction be prevented?
Including soft fruits and softer foods in the diet, using stool softeners and laxatives when required judiciously help to prevent obstruction to some degree. Some amount of exercise also helps to keep up bowel health. Staying well hydrated is also crucial.
What are the complications of bowel obstruction?
An obstruction can lead to bowel rupture and spread of bacteria (sepsis) which are emergency cases and can be fatal. Dehydration, aspiration, electrolyte imbalance are other complications.
How is bowel obstruction diagnosed?
Clinical assessment, abdominal examination showing lumps or masses, hearing bowel sounds through stethoscope are common methods of diagnosis. Bowel obstruction can also be visualised by barium enema X-rays or by endoscopy.
What is the treatment for bowel obstruction?
Medications like opioids, enema, painkillers and anti-nausea drugs are used to relieve minor obstructions. Major blockages may require surgeries to increase the diameter of the obstructed part (strictureplasty) or to remove the affected part (resection).
What are the complications of the surgery for bowel obstruction?
Other than rare complications like bleeding, sepsis, surgery on bowel is itself a risk factor for development of adhesions which can further lead to redevelopment of obstruction a a later stage.