Clinical findings and outcome of acute intestinal obstruction in pmch, patna

Background: Acute intestinal obstruction is one of the most common surgical emergencies which involves partial or complete blockage of bowel. Aetiologies of small bowel obstruction are diverse & varies according to geographical areas-strangulated groin hernias are leading in developing countries while post-op adhesions in developed world. Tumors are the most common cause for large bowel obstruction. Objectives: To study various aetiologies of small & large bowel obstruction and there outcomes in term of morbidity and mortality. Methods: 50 cases of intestinal obstruction admitted to emergency surgical ward of PMCH, Patna were selected for study. The criteria for selection of cases were based on clinical history, physical findings radiological and hematological investigations. The study was divided into clinical study, Investigation treatment and follow-up after discharge of patients up to 3 months. Results: The commonest cause of intestinal obstruction in the adults in this study was Adhesions and Bands (35%) followed by obstructed hernia (27%). Volvulus of sigmoid and caecum was 14.7% in this series. Overall mortality of this study was 14%. Conclusion: Adhesions and bands (commonly post-op) are the most common cause to produce intestinal obstruction. Clinical, radiological and operative findings put together can diagnose the intestinal obstruction. Mortality is still significantly high in acute intestinal obstruction.