Bowel Obstruction

Bowel Obstruction



Bowel obstruction is also called the intestinal obstruction. In this condition the blockage of intestines (small or large) takes place, which prevent the intestinal contents to pass through the digestive tract. The pain caused by this obstruction is severe and is intermittent. The problem that causes intestinal obstruction is not necessarily associated inside the intestine (swelling or tumor), the cause can be outside the intestine (problem of the adjacent organ causes compression of the nearby part of the intestine). Bowel obstruction can be mechanical or functional. This obstruction can be complete or partial. Bowel obstruction is a medical emergency and must be treated immediately without any delay.

 

TYPES OF BOWEL OBSTRUCTION:

  • Small bowel obstruction (obstruction of small intestine)

  • Large bowel obstruction (obstruction of large intestine)

 

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF BOWEL OBSTRUCTION:

  • Abdominal pain

  • Abdominal swelling

  • Vomiting

  • Constipation

  • Difficulty in breathing because of the abdominal distention

  • Diarrhea in case the intestines are partly blocked

  • Cramps in abdomen

  • Bloating

 

COMPLICATIONS OF BOWEL OBSTRUCTION:

  • Dehydration (because of vomiting)

  • Electrolyte imbalance (because of vomiting)

  • Ischemia of the bowel that is obstructed

  • Perforation of the bowel that is obstructed

  • After perforation spillage of contents of the bowel inside the cavity of abdomen which is very serious complication

 

CAUSES OF BOWEL OBSTRUCTION:

Causes of small bowel obstruction are:

  • Adhesions (fibrous band like constrictions are formed around the bowel that constricts its lumen)

  • Pseudoobstruction

  • Hernia containing bowel (protrusion of bowel from potentially weak point from front of abdominal wall)

  • Crohn’s disease (it causes adhesions formation causing obstruction)

  • Tumors (benign or malignant)

  • Superior mesenteric artery syndrome (superior mesenteric artery and abdominal aorta compresses the small intestine causing its obstruction)

  • Foreign bodies inside the small intestine (like gallstones, swollen objects etc)

 

Causes of large bowel obstruction are:

  • Tumors (benign or malignant)

  • Hernia containing large bowel

  • Inflammatory bowel disease

  • Adhesions (fibrous band formation around the intestine as a result of injury or ischemia)

  • Pseudoobstruction

  • Constipation

  • Diverticulitis (developmental defect’s complication)

  • Diverticular disease (developmental defect)

 

DIAGNOSIS OF BOWEL OBSTRUCTION:

  • X-rays of obstruction

  • CT scan of abdomen

  • Ultrasound of abdomen

  • Blood tests

 

DIFFERENTIATING POINTS BETWEEN SMALL AND LARGE BOWEL OBSTRUCTION:

  • Pain in case of small bowel obstruction is central and mid abdominal while in case of large bowel it is felt in the lower part of abdomen.

  • The spasms in case of small bowel obstruction may occur with pain and may last a few minutes while in case of large bowel the spasms with pain last longer.

  • I case of small bowel obstruction, vomiting starts first then constipation occurs while in case of large bowel obstruction constipation occur first and vomiting may be less prominent.