Cause Of Bowel Obstruction Research Articles

Unusual causes of Small bowel obstruction: a review of the literature and revisited cross-sectional imaging checklist.

Intestinal obstruction is a common surgical emergency with high morbidity and mortality. Patients presenting with features of small bowel obstruction need urgent evaluation to avoid complications such as bowel gangrene, perforation, or peritonitis. Imaging is necessary in most cases of suspected bowel obstruction, to take an appropriate decision, for apt patient management. Among the common causes of small bowel obstruction, adhesions, external herniae, malignancies, and Crohn's disease top the chart. Imaging helps in determining the presence of obstruction, the severity of obstruction, transition point, cause of obstruction, and associated complications such as strangulation, bowel gangrene, and peritonitis. This review is based on the cases with unusual causes of bowel obstruction encountered during our routine practice and also on the extensive literature search through the standard textbooks and electronic databases. Through this review we want our readers to have sound knowledge of the imaging characteristics of the uncommon yet important causes of bowel obstruction. We have also revisited and structured a checklist to simplify the approach while reporting a suspected case of small bowel obstruction. Imaging plays a key role in the diagnosis of small bowel obstruction and in determining the cause and associated complications. Apart from the common causes of small bowel obstruction, we should also be aware of the uncommon causes of small bowel obstruction and their imaging characteristics to make an accurate diagnosis and for apt patient management.

WP4.16 - Gallstone ileus as an infrequent cause of bowel obstruction- a review of small cohort

Abstract Introduction It is uncommon cause of small bowel obstruction, presents 1 – 5% of adult population. It is a rare complication of chronic cholecystitis which lead to cholecysto-enteric fistula and impaction of gall stone in GI tract leading to mechanical bowel obstruction. Our aim is to report the natural history and management of this condition in District Hospital. Method Retrospective 10 years of data was collected with CT findings of intestinal obstruction with gall stone ileus. It included 10 patients over 10 years whose medical records were evaluated retrospectively. Results Majority of patients were female (90%, n:9) with mean age of 81.6 years (range 61-96) although 90% of population were above 70 years. Presenting complaints were mostly pain and vomiting. Onset of symptoms between 2- 7 days. The site of obstruction was mostly ileum (n=9) with exception of one case in sigmoid proximal to stricture and size of stone was ranging ffrom2.5 to 4 cm, moreover most of the patients had previous history of gall stone (n=7) with one post cholecystectomy status. During routine investigations 50 % of patients had deranged LFT &AKI and 50-60% had raised inflammatory markers (WBC,CRP).Intervention as Enterolithotomy was the preferred approach (n=8,2 lap ,7 open) and non operative management was performed in two cases.The mean post op length of stay were 10 days in open and 5 days in Lap respectively. Conclusions Elderly female patients are more prone to have gallstone ileus particularly with a past medical history of gall stone and the preferred management option is Enterolithotomy which could be open or laparoscopic depending on expertise of the Surgeon.

Sigmoid volvulus-Can CT features predict outcomes and recurrence?

Sigmoid volvulus (SV) is a common cause of bowel obstruction, especially in older patients. SV can be mesenteroaxial (M-SV) or organoaxial (O-SV). The purpose of this study was to assess if CT findings in SV are associated with clinical outcomes. including recurrence, choice of management, and mortality. This study includes patients with SV and a CT within 24 hours of presentation. CT features, including mesenteraoxial/organoaxial arrangement, direction of rotation, transition points, distension, whirl-sign, ischemia, and perforation were determined. Demographics, treatment, recurrence, and outcome data were recorded. One hundred and seventeen cases were diagnosed in 80 patients (54 male). The mean age was 70 years (± 17.1). M-SV and O-SV were equally prevalent (n = 39 vs. n = 41, respectively). M-SV was significantly more common with anticlockwise rotation in the axial plane (p = 0.028) and clockwise rotation in the coronal plane (p = 0.015). All patients with imaging features of ischemia underwent surgery (n = 6). There was no significant difference in outcome variables (30-day mortality, 30-day readmission, recurrence) between the O-SV and M-SV groups. The degree of bowel distension on initial presentation was a significant predictor of recurrence, with ≥ 9 cm vs < 9 cm associated with an increased odds of any recurrence (OR: 3.23; 95%CI: 1.39-7.92). In SV, sigmoid distension of more than 9 cm at baseline CT was associated with an increased risk of recurrence. Imaging features of ischemia predicted surgical over endoscopic intervention. Organoaxial and mesenteroaxial SV had similar prevalence, but the type of volvulus was not associated with clinical outcomes or choice of management. There is a risk of recurrent sigmoid volvulus with colonic distension greater than 9 cm. This work, comparing volvulus subtypes, shows that this finding at the initial presentation could expedite consideration for surgical management. Reports of outcomes for different subtypes and rotational directions of volvuli have been contradictory. No difference in measured outcomes was found between subtypes; distension ≥ 9 cm predicted recurrence. CT features can aide management of sigmoid volvulus and can prompt surgical intervention.

Ultrasound imaging of bowel obstruction in infants and children.

We review the etiologies of bowel obstruction in infants and children that can be identified on ultrasound (US) including perforated appendicitis, intussusception, foreign body ingestion, colonic volvulus, intra-abdominal mass lesions, internal hernia, and stricturing inflammatory bowel disease. US can potentially identify the cause of bowel obstruction in these age groups, without the need for additional cross-sectional imaging, and can aid in patient management including interventional and surgical planning. Hence, it is important to be familiar with the sonographic imaging findings of bowel obstruction in infants and children.

Dependent functional status is an independent risk factor for 30-day mortality and morbidities following colectomy for volvulus: An ACS-NSQIP study from the United States

ObjectivesColonic volvulus is a common cause of bowel obstructions and surgery is the definitive treatment. Functional status is often associated with adverse postoperative outcomes but its effect on colectomy for volvulus remained under-explored. This study sought to analyze the effect of functional status on the 30-day outcomes of colectomy for volvulus. Materials and methodNational Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) targeted colectomy database from 2012 to 2022 was utilized. Only patients with volvulus as the primary indication for colectomy were included. Thirty-day postoperative outcomes were compared between patients with dependent functional status (DFS) and independent functional status (IFS), adjusted for demographics, baseline characteristics, preoperative preparation, indication for surgery, and operative approaches by multivariable logistic regression. ResultsThere were 1,476 patients with DFS (945 partially DFS and 531 fully DFS) and 8,824 (85.67 %) IFS patients who underwent colectomy for volvulus. After multivariable analysis, DFS patients had higher risks of mortality (aOR=1.671, 95 CI=1.37–2.038, p < 0.01), pulmonary complications (aOR=2.166, 95 CI=1.85–2.536, p < 0.01), sepsis (aOR=1.31, 95 CI=1.107–1.551, p < 0.01), prolonged postoperative nothing by mouth (NPO) or nasogastric tube (NGT) use (aOR=1.436, 95 CI=1.269–1.626, p < 0.01), discharge not to home (aOR=3.774, 95 CI=3.23–4.411, p < 0.01), and 30-day readmission (aOR=1.196, 95 CI=1.007–1.42, p = 0.04). Moreover, DFS patients had a longer length of stay (p = 0.01). ConclusionDFS was identified as an independent risk factor for increased mortality and complications after colectomy for volvulus. Given the substantial overlap between DFS patients and those who have colonic volvulus, these insights can contribute to preoperative risk assessments and postoperative care in these patients.

Gallstone Ileus as an Infrequent Cause of Bowel Obstruction: A Review of Small Cohort.

Introduction Gallstone ileus is an uncommon cause of small bowel obstruction; it is a rare complication of calculus chronic cholecystitis which leads to cholecystoenteric fistula and impaction of gallstone in the gastrointestinal tract leading to mechanical bowel obstruction. Our aim is to report the natural history and management of this rare condition in a teaching hospital. Materials and methods It is a retrospective study, where 10 years of data related to the management of intestinal obstruction secondary to gallstone ileus was collected. The cohort included 10 patients, whose demographic data, clinical findings, and management outcomes were evaluated. Results Majority of patients were female (90%, n=9) with a median of 83 years (range 61-96) although 90% of the population were above 70 years. Presenting complaints were mostly pain and vomiting. The onset of symptoms was between two and seven days.The site of obstruction was mostly the ileum (n=9) with the exception of one case in the sigmoid proximal to a benign stricture, and the size of the stone ranged from 2.5 to 4 cm. Moreover, most of the patients had a previous history of gallstone (n=7) with one post-cholecystectomy status. The laboratory investigations in 50% of patients had deranged liver function test (LFT) and acute kidney injury (AKI), and 60% had raised inflammatory markers, namely, white blood cells (WBC) and C-reactive protein (CRP). Intervention as enterolithotomy was the preferred approach (n=8 (two laparoscopic, six open surgery)), and two patients were managed conservatively. The mean postoperative length of stay was 10 days in the open approach and five days in the laparoscopic approach, respectively. Conclusions Elderly female patients are more prone to have gallstone ileus particularly with a past medical history of gallstones, and the preferred management option is enterolithotomy which could be open or laparoscopic depending on the expertise of the surgeon.

Robotic transabdominal preperitoneal repair for bilateral obturator hernia: a video vignette.

Obturator hernias (OHs) are a rare cause of bowel obstruction that requires immediate surgical intervention to prevent morbidity and mortality. Patients with OHs present with acute intestinal obstruction secondary to incarceration, with a high morbidity and mortality rate due to delayed diagnosis and treatment. Although several surgical approaches have been reported, a standard approach for OH treatment has not yet been established. Here, we report the case of a 74-year-old woman who presented with bilateral OHs. The patient presented at our institution with pain in the left lower quadrant. Computed tomography revealed preperitoneal fat in both obturator foramen. Robotic transabdominal preperitoneal (R-TAPP) bilateral OH repair was performed, and a mesh was placed over both obturator foramen. The patient recovered without postoperative complications and was discharged on postoperative day 2. This suggests that the R-TAPP approach is safe for OH repair without incarceration.

BOWEL OBSTRUCTION FROM COMPLETE TRANSMURAL MIGRATION OF A GOSSYPIBOMA INTO THE ILEUM; A RARE OCCURRENCE

Gossypibomas are infrequent abdominal pathology associated with increased morbidity and mortality. They are foreign bodies of predominantly cotton material that are erroneously left in body cavities following surgery. They represent an extremely rare but avoidable cause of bowel obstruction and should be considered as a differential diagnosis in patients presenting with Bowel obstruction following previous abdominal surgery.&#x0D; We present the case of a young woman with clinical features in keeping with mechanical bowel obstruction from suspected post-operated adhesion. However, intra-operative finding revealed a complete transmural migration of a Gossypiboma into the terminal ileum. She had segmental ileal resection, extraction of the gossypiboma and primary end-to-end ileo-ileal anastomosis. Her recovery period was uneventful.&#x0D; Keywords; Anastomosis, Bowel obstruction, Gossypiboma, laparotomy

Barnard syndrome with Rigler triad: a rare cause of bowel obstruction.

Barnard syndrome with Rigler triad: a rare cause of bowel obstruction.

Gallstone ileus, controversies on current surgical management

Among the causes of bowel obstruction, the gallstone ileus represents a rare etiology in the general population, however, the incidence of cases increases in older adults. To make its diagnosis, a high clinical suspicion and extension studies are required. It is considered a surgical emergency, although the ideal approach continues to be debated today. We present the case of a 78-year-old patient with clinical and imaging findings compatible with gallstone ileus, the diagnostic and therapeutic approach, as well as a wide review of the literature about current surgical option.

A potential protective role of congenital peritoneal encapsulation coexisting with metastatic colon cancer: a rare case report

Introduction and importance: Congenital peritoneal encapsulation (CPE) is a rare condition in which the small intestine is encased within a mesothelial-lined sac. The following case is an extremely rare description of the co-existence of both colon cancer and peritoneal encapsulation, highlighting the potential role of this co-existence in preventing the spread of metastases and tumor implantation. Case-presentation: A 60-year-old female was diagnosed with metastatic colon cancer. During the operation, a thin fibrous membrane was found covering the small intestine, which suggested CPE. The tumor was removed, and the additional membrane was totally excised. The patient is currently receiving chemotherapy for metastatic treatment and is in good health. Clinical discussion: CPE is a medical condition that results from abnormal peritoneal development, and it is often confused with other differential diagnoses resulting from inflammatory causes. It can occur at different ages and remains asymptomatic for the majority of cases. However, it can be a potential cause of bowel obstruction. An intraoperative diagnosis can easily differentiate the case. The co-existence with colon cancer has been described only once in the literature. Conclusion: Peritoneal encapsulation is a rare, mostly asymptomatic condition. However, it may play a protective role in preventing metastatic colon cancer from affecting the small intestine, thus potentially opening up new avenues for the treatment of cancer metastases.

1148 A Rare Case of Loose Right Medial Umbilical Ligament Found During Laparoscopic Appendectomy

Abstract Aim We report this extremely rare variation of loose medial umbilical ligament discovered incidentally during laparoscopic appendectomy. This can be a potential cause of bowel obstruction and internal herniation or cause technical difficulty during laparoscopic surgery. Method A 29-year-old man presented to the emergency department with one day history of central abdominal pain that shifted to right iliac fossa associated with nausea and vomiting. He has no significant past medical history. His abdominal examination revealed tenderness and guarding in the right iliac fossa and his inflammatory markers were elevated. A clinical diagnosis of acute appendicitis was made. Results The patient was brought to the operating theatre for laparoscopic appendectomy. Laparoscopy revealed acutely inflamed appendix and also a completely redundant rounded structure extending from the anterior abdominal wall just to the right side of the umbilicus to the small bowel mesentery consistent with right medial umbilical ligament. The left medial umbilical ligament was entirely normal. Excision of right medial umbilical ligament was done using LigaSure laparoscopic instrument and was sent for histology. Laparoscopic appendectomy was also performed. The patient recovered well with no complications. Conclusions The medial umbilical ligament is the obliterated umbilical artery. This anatomical variation of the medial umbilical ligament is extremely rare. Surgeons should be aware of anatomical variations of medial umbilical ligament especially during laparoscopic surgeries at it may affect the surgeon’s preference for trocar locations.

Bouveret s syndrome in a young stable patient Clinical case report and summary of evidence

Bouveret’s syndrome is an infrequent cause of bowel obstruction, and the less frequent presentation form of gallstone ileus with high mortality. Only 315 cases have been reported until 2016. Given the scarce number of cases, there is no consensus on the appropriate management. We present the case of a middle-aged Mexican woman referred to a high specialty surgical center with imaging evidence of duodenal calculus and bilioenteric fistula. A 10 x 5 cm gallstone impacted in the duodenum was removed via an open anterior gastrotomy. She had good postoperative course. Each case should be treated based on patient’s health status, location and size of the gallstones as well as experience and availability of minimally invasive techniques.

Adult sigmoid intussusception as a rare presentation of advanced adenocarcinoma: a case report

Adult bowel intussusception is a rare clinical entity resulting in 1-5% of intestinal obstructions. It occurs more often in the small intestine and it’s secondary to a pathologic condition in 90% of cases. Its clinical picture can be unspecific, and the diagnosis is often made intraoperatively. We describe an uncommon clinical presentation of this rare clinical entity. A 69-year-old female presented in our emergency room with severe abdominal pain and rectorrhagia. The abdomen computed tomography scan revealed a colonic intussusception and a mass suggestive of a malignancy, as confirmed by rectosigmoidoscopy. The patient underwent the Hartmann procedure. A histopathological examination revealed an advanced colorectal adenocarcinoma as the lead point of the intussusception. Adult sigmoid intussusception is a rare cause of bowel obstruction, and it is often cancer-related. Symptoms can be nonspecific, and diagnosis is best made by CT imaging and endoscopic investigations which allow for planning surgery.

Endoscopic versus surgical management for colonic volvulus hospitalizations in the United States.

Colonic volvulus (CV), a common cause of bowel obstruction, often requires intervention. We aimed to identify hospitalization trends and CV outcomes in the United States. We used the National Inpatient Sample to identify all adult CV hospitalizations in the United States from 2007 to 2017. Patient demographics, comorbidities, and inpatient outcomes were highlighted. Outcomes of endoscopic and surgical management were compared. From 2007 to 2017, there were 220,666 CV hospitalizations. CV-related hospitalizations increased from 17,888 in 2007 to 21,715 in 2017 (p=0.001). However, inpatient mortality decreased from 7.6% in 2007 to 6.2% in 2017 (p<0.001). Of all CV-related hospitalizations, 13,745 underwent endoscopic intervention, and 77,157 underwent surgery. Although the endoscopic cohort had patients with a higher Charlson comorbidity index, we noted lower inpatient mortality (6.1% vs. 7.0%, p<0.001), mean length of stay (8.3 vs. 11.8 days, p<0.001), and mean total healthcare charge ($68,126 vs. $106,703, p<0.001) compared to the surgical cohort. Male sex, increased Charlson comorbidity index scores, acute kidney injury, and malnutrition were associated with higher odds of inpatient mortality in patients with CV who underwent endoscopic management. Endoscopic intervention has lower inpatient mortality and is an excellent alternative to surgery for appropriately selected CV hospitalizations.

Does Preterm Status Hinder the Timely Diagnosis of Intestinal Atresia?

Intestinal atresia is one of the most common causes of bowel obstruction in newborns. Unfortunately, this diagnosis is often missed or delayed in extremely preterm infants because of complications of prematurity including feeding intolerance and necrotizing enterocolitis. Here we report 2 cases of jejunoileal atresia in extremely preterm infants who were diagnosed beyond 30 days of age. Case 1 had jejunoileal atresia type IIIa, whereas case 2 had type IV jejunoileal atresia complicated by short bowel syndrome. Ideally, intestinal atresia should be diagnosed as early as possible in a patient's hospital course to attain full enteral feedings earlier and avoid prolonged hospitalization. Planned surgical intervention prior to the development of sepsis or bowel perforation is associated with better outcomes. Ultimately, this report serves as a reminder to physicians that intestinal atresia remains an important differential for infants, including preterm infants, with feeding intolerance in the first days to weeks of age.

TO ESTIMATE THE DIAGNOSTIC EFFICACY OF COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY IN INTESTINAL OBSTRUCTION.

Introduction- Intestinal obstruction occurs when there is an interruption in the forward ow of intestinal content. 60 to 80% of all intestinal obstruction are in small bowel with adhesions as the most common cause. CT provides valuable information about presence or absence ,cause and complications of intestinal obstruction. 1.To evaluate cause and complications of intestina Aims And Objectives Of Study- l obstruction using Computed tomography. 2.To assess the accuracy of imaging ndings in comparison to operative ndings in patients who are operated. Materials And Methods-Hospital-based observational study done in AIMSR Bathinda. 102 patients with high clinical suspicion of intestinal obstruction or intestinal obstructiondiagnosed by X-RAY/USG visiting Department of Radiodiagnosis were enrolled in the study after informed written consent and the results were evaluated. Out of 102 patients adhesions were the most Results- common cause of intestinal obstruction with ileum being most common level of obstruction..CT has 100% sensitivity and specicity in diagnosing most of the causes of intestinal obstruction except for few causes like adhesions, stricture an bands where it was 84.38 and 92.86, 88.46 and 94.74 , 98.9 and 75 respectively. CT has high Conclusiondiagnostic accuracy and is highly sensitive and specic in determining most of the causes of bowel obstruction and is recommended for preoperative evaluation of intestinal obstruction

A brief review of diagnostic properties of point-of-care ultrasound for adult bowel intussusception: Making the case for ultrasound.

Undifferentiated abdominal pain in adults is a common chief complaint in acute care clinics and emergency departments worldwide, representing up to 10% of visits to emergency departments. Many patients have a non-specific presentation and an initial workup with labwork, urine analysis or X-ray might not reveal a specific diagnosis. Although bowel intussusception is a primarily pediatric disease, adult intussusception is a recognized but rare cause of bowel obstruction often requiring surgical intervention. However, recent data from advanced multi-detector computed tomography imaging shows that milder or recurring cases in adults have been underrecognized. Multi-detector computed tomography is still the imaging gold standard for detecting intussusception in adults, but new data showed that sonographers with basic training using the point-of-care ultrasound approach have a reasonable accuracy in detecting this pathology. As the point-of-care ultrasound for undifferentiated abdominal pain is an emerging core skill in the acute care setting, knowledge of sonographic signs of intestinal intussusception should be included in the skill set of physicians. Sonographic findings in adults mimic pediatric cases, but different location patterns and higher malignancy rates exist in adults. In this manuscript, we will review the current literature on adult intussusception and summarize key knowledge of intestinal intussusception in adults. We will present four adult patients diagnosed with different types of adult acute bowel intussusception using the point-of-care ultrasound and describe a focused scanning approach with typical sonographic findings.

Cecal volvulus with intestinal malrotation: a rare cause of bowel obstruction

Introduction:Cecal volvulus is a rare cause of acute abdomen in adults. It accounts for less than 1% of intestinal obstructions and 25-30% of cases of colonic volvulus. Congenital intestinal malrotation is a complex disorder due to incomplete or faulty rotation and fixation of the gut during the fetal life.Cecal volvulus associated with intestinal malrotation is a very rare presentation. Over 16 cases were reported in the literature. Case report:A 44-year-old man with no medical history, presented to the emergency department with a 2-day history of abdominal pain and bloating. On clinical examination, the abdomen was distended and tympanic to percussion, with diffuse abdominal tenderness. Abdominal X-ray (standing) showed a distended large intestine with an airfluid colonic level. CT scan showed a markedly dilated cecum measuring up to 14 cm, which were located in the left hypochondrium. A “whirl sign” and a superior mesenteric pedicle swirl were also noted. Emergency surgery was performed. Intraoperative exploration revealed a cecal volvulus with a largely distended hypermobile cecum located in the left hypochondrium, with preischemic signs within its wall. All the small gut was right-sided and the large gut left-sided, suggestive of mesenterium commune and intestinal malrotation. A right hemicolectomy withileo-transverse anastomosis was done. The postoperative course was uneventful. The patient is on regular follow up and is doing well. Conclusion:We describe a rare case of surgical management of cecal volvulus associated with intestinal malrotation in a middle-aged patient with no medical history. This case highlights the importance of early diagnosis by physical examination and radiological findings to prevent serious complications. Emergent surgery was the key to this successful management and surgical resection could offer better results with lesser recurrence rate. Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol. 22 No. 02 April’23 Page : 445-448

Sclerosing Encapsulating Peritonitis: A Rare Cause of Bowel Obstruction.

Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis (SEP), also referred to as abdominal cocoon syndrome, is a rare cause of bowel obstruction characterized by a thickened fibrous peritoneum that encapsulates the intestines. The exact etiology is idiopathic but may be associated with long-term peritoneal dialysis (PD). In the absence of risk factors for adhesive disease, preoperative diagnosis can be difficult and may require operative intervention or advanced imaging to diagnose. Thus, the inclusion of SEP in the differential diagnosis for bowel obstruction is essential for early detection. Existing literature is focused on renal disease as an origin, but it can be multifactorial. Here, we discuss a case of sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis in a patient without known risk factors.