Surgical approach of the small intestine obstructions; ethiology and management

Abstract

Aim: In this study, it was aimed to investigate the ethiology, surgical treatment approaches and complications in the patients who underwent the surgical treatment due to small intestine obstruction. Method: The data of patients who had surgical intervention in the general surgery department of our hospital due to small intestine obstruction between 2009 and 2015 was evaluated retrospectively. Demographics such as the age, additional morbidity, history of abdomen operation of the patients were recorded. During the operation, etiology was investigated and treatments were recorded. The patients’ postoperative follow-up data and complications were recorded. Results: In this study 121 patients were included. Hypertension was determined to be the most common additional comorbidity in the patients (28.9%). The most common complaint was abdomen ache and it was seen in 94.2% of the patients. The reasons of obstructions were adhesions in 57% of the patients, hernia in 27.3% of the patients, gallstones in 4.1% of the patients, cancers in 4.1% of the patients and phytobezoars in 3.3% of the patients. The patient group were applied these operations; separation of adhesions in 49.6% of patients, repair of the hernia in 19.8% of patients, repair of the hernia+resection in 7.4% of patients and separation of adhesions+resection in 5.8% of patients. Total complications rate was 26.5% and the most common complication was iatrogenic intestine injury in 9.1% of patients. Conclusion: The most common etiology of the patients who underwent small intestine obstruction operation were found as adhesions and hernias. These factors should be primarily considered as etiology during preoperative assessment. It was found that one out of the four patients had at least one complication after operation.

Keywords

• Obstruction of small intestine
• etiology
• complication