Intestinal obstruction is a disease condition in which a functional blockage of the intestine occurs that prevents the transport of digestive content, causing paralysis of the intestine.
Symptoms of intestinal obstruction:
*Feeling discomfort in the abdomen.
*Severe constipation.
*Severe pain.
*Anorexia.
*Inability to defecate.
Causes and risk factors of intestinal obstruction
Causes of intestinal obstruction include:
* Adhesions, resulting from surgical operations.
*Incarcerated hernia.
*Tumors such as large intestine cancer.
*POLYPS.
*Congenital disabilities.
*Wrapping the intestine around its axis.
*Foreign bodies.
Complications of intestinal obstruction
Intestinal obstruction may cause some complications, as follows:
*Intestinal damage
Where there is severe distension in the intestine such that it is not supplied with a sufficient amount of blood, and as a result a hole occurs in the intestine, causing the contents of the intestine to leak into the abdominal cavity, and this may cause serious inflammation inside the abdomen, and peritonitis, which may lead to death. .
* Damage to various body systems
The blocked intestine swells and large amounts of fluid accumulate in its cavity, and this also causes swelling in its walls. It is important to know that the source of these fluids is from the fluid found outside the cells (extracellular fluids), which the body needs to maintain healthy blood circulation.
Therefore, this problem may cause fluid loss, and the patient may suffer from severe dehydration, which may develop into hypovolemic shock.
Diagnosis of intestinal obstruction
The condition is diagnosed through the following:
*Knowing the patient’s medical history.
*Knowing the symptoms appearing on the patient, such as pain, abdominal bloating, and failure to pass stool and gas.
*Knowing the severity of the pain, as it is more severe in cases of mechanical intestinal obstruction.
*Knowing the duration of the pain, as the continuation of the pain for a few hours indicates the presence of an external or internal hernia or a twisting of the intestine.
*Knowing the diseases that the patient suffers from, such as chronic inflammation of the intestine.
*Knowing the medications the patient is taking, as there are medications that affect the function of the large intestine, such as some medications for psychological disorders.
*Conduct a physical examination, as this helps the doctor identify the patient’s general condition.
*Performing a simple x-ray and an abdominal scan while standing and lying down to diagnose any obstruction in the intestine.
Treatment of intestinal obstruction
Treatment begins after accurately diagnosing the condition and may include the following:
*Conservative treatment of intestinal obstruction
This treatment includes the following:
1- Replacement of body fluids: This is done intravenously or through the use of a small, special tube that is passed into the stomach.
2- Suctioning digestive secretions: This is done through a small tube, as this helps significantly relieve pressure on the abdominal organs and the intestinal wall.
*Treatment of intestinal obstruction with surgery
Surgery is resorted to in the event of an incarcerated hernia or obstruction in the large intestine as a result of a tumor. Many matters are taken into consideration during surgery, as follows:
1- The surgeon searches for the site of the obstruction, and it is often easy to find the site of the obstruction because the intestine swells a lot before the point of obstruction and then collapses afterward.
2- Surgery includes cutting adhesions, removing a polyp or tumor in the small intestine, or repairing a hernia, and sometimes several surgeries are needed.
3- When the obstruction occurs in the left part of the large intestine, that is, close to the anus, it is difficult to open the obstruction with a single surgical operation. Rather, the surgical operation must be performed in stages.
4- Recovery after surgery depends on the patient’s age, medical condition, how long the blockage lasted before surgery, and the type of surgery.
5- In most cases, the patient returns to his normal life without any disability unless a large portion of the intestine is removed. The problem may recur in some cases and may cause some side effects such as gas.
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