|
Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 18e
| Part 14. Disorders of the Gastrointestinal System > Section 1. Disorders of the Alimentary Tract > |
Chapter 299. Acute Intestinal Obstruction
Sections: Etiology and Classification, Further Readings.
Topics Discussed: intestinal obstruction, acute.
Excerpt:"In 75% of patients, acute intestinal obstruction results from adhesive bands or internal hernias secondary to previous abdominal surgery or from external hernias. The incidence of acute intestinal obstruction requiring hospital admission within the first few postoperative weeks is 5–25%, and 10–50% of these patients will require surgical intervention. The incidence of postoperative intestinal obstruction may be lower following laparoscopic surgery than open procedures. However, the laparoscopic gastric bypass procedure may be associated with an unexpected high rate of intestinal obstruction, with a higher reoperative rate. Other causes of intestinal obstruction not related to previous abdominal surgery include lesions intrinsic to the wall of the intestine, e.g., diverticulitis, carcinoma, and regional enteritis; and luminal obstruction, e.g., gallstone obstruction, intussusception.Distention of the intestine is caused by the accumulation of gas and fluid proximal to and within the obstructed segment. Between 70 and 80% of intestinal gas consists of swallowed air, and because this is composed mainly of nitrogen, which is poorly absorbed from the intestinal lumen, removal of air by continuous gastric suction is a useful adjunct in..."
The content above is only an excerpt.
For full access, log into an existing user account below,
purchase an annual subscription, or
purchase a short-term subscription to the complete website.
|
|
|
|
Or
|
|
|
|