Let's talk about intestinal obstruction

What is intestinal obstruction?

Obstruction of the passage of intestinal contents from any cause is referred to as intestinal obstruction. It is one of the common acute abdomen in surgery.

Symptoms of intestinal obstruction

It usually presents with abdominal pain, bloating, nausea and vomiting, and cessation of anal exhaust and defecation.

Etiology of intestinal obstruction

The key to the diagnosis and treatment of intestinal obstruction is to clarify the cause of obstruction in time.

According to the etiology, intestinal obstruction can be divided into:

1. Mechanical intestinal obstruction: intestinal obstruction caused by intestinal adhesion, intestinal tumor, bezoite and other lesions after surgery. That is, the intestinal lumen is compressed or blocked by the contents, and the intestinal tract is twisted and folded by itself, making the contents unable to pass. Bezoar is a hard substance formed when food and digestive fluids are neutralized.

2. Dynamic intestinal obstruction: mainly intestinal paralysis, usually occurs after abdominal surgery, because of hypokalemia, appendix perforation and other inflammatory lesions in the abdominal cavity, or combined with other cardiopulmonary diseases, intestinal insufficiency caused by intestinal obstruction. It can be simply understood as a weakening or disappearance of intestinal peristalsis.

3. Blood transport intestinal obstruction: elderly patients are more common, because of thrombosis, vascular plaque detachment, or intestinal volvulus caused by acute intestinal blood supply disorder caused by intestinal obstruction. This kind of intestinal obstruction is the most dangerous, if not timely surgery, can quickly progress to intestinal necrosis, shock.

In addition to these, there are unexplained pseudoileus, relatively rare.

Some adhesive ileus can be relieved by non-surgical treatment. Surgery is the first choice to relieve mechanical intestinal obstruction and vascularized intestinal obstruction caused by tumor.

How to prevent intestinal obstruction?

Intestinal obstruction can be repeated many times, so we need to pay attention to prevention. Especially people who have had abdominal surgery and elderly patients.

Eat less and more meals, eat slowly, don't overeat, don't eat too much food that is not easy to digest, such as glutinous rice, meat and oil, etc.

Avoid strenuous exercise after meals.

Reduce the use of food containing tannic acid as far as possible, such as persimmon, plum, hawthorn, walnut, often because the patient ate persimmon and induce intestinal obstruction, so do not eat too much.