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Bowel obstruction |
Bowel obstruction On the Web |
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Assistant Editor-in-Chief: Meagan E. Doherty
A bowel obstruction is a partial or complete blockage of the bowel that results in the failure of the intestinal contents to pass through.
The symptoms of a bowel obstruction include:
Obstruction of the bowel may due to:
Paralytic ileus, also called pseudo-obstruction, is one of the major causes of bowel obstruction in infants and children. Causes of paralytic ileus may include:
In older children, paralytic ileus may be due to bacterial, viral, or food poisoning (gastroenteritis), which is sometimes associated with secondary peritonitis and appendicitis.
Mechanical causes of a bowel obstruction may include:
While listening to the abdomen with a stethoscope your health care provider may hear high-pitched bowel sounds at the onset of mechanical obstruction. If the obstruction has persisted for too long or the bowel has been significantly damaged, bowel sounds decrease, eventually becoming silent.
Early paralytic ileus is marked by decreased or absent bowel sound.
Tests that show obstruction include:
Call your health care provider if persistent abdominal distention develops and you are unable to pass stool or gas, or if other symptoms of bowel obstruction develop.
Treatment involves placing a tube through the nose into the stomach or intestine to help relieve abdominal distention and vomiting.
Surgery may be needed to relieve the obstruction if the tube does not relieve the symptoms, or if there are signs of tissue death.
Patients diagnosed with bowel obstruction should avoid using the following medications:
Directions to Hospitals Treating a Bowel obstruction
Prevention depends on the cause. Treatment of conditions (such as tumors and hernias) that are related to obstruction may reduce your risk.
Some causes of obstruction cannot be prevented.
The outcome varies with the cause of the obstruction.
Complications may include or may lead to:
If the obstruction blocks the blood supply to the intestine, the tissue may die, causing infection and gangrene. Risk factors for tissue death include intestinal cancer, Crohn's disease, hernia, and previous abdominal surgery.
In the newborn, paralytic ileus that is associated with destruction of the bowel wall (necrotizing enterocolitis) is life-threatening and may lead to blood and lung infections.