European Journal of Cardiovascular Medicine

Introduction: Acute intestinal obstruction is one of the commonest and potentially dangerous surgical emergencies with a high frequency of morbidity and mortality if managed inappropriately. Although the mortality is decreasing with a better understanding of pathophysiology, improvement in radiological diagnostic techniques, fluid and electrolyte correction, potent antimicrobials, surgical management, and improvement in anaesthesia. The present prospective study was conducted to find out various etiological factors of mechanical intestinal obstruction and to evaluate morbidity and mortality in adult patients. Material Methods: The present prospective observational study of 290 patients with adult intestinal obstruction was carried out from December 2016 to October 2018 in the Department of Surgery at a Tertiary Care Hospital. The study included a total of 290 patients out of which 218 underwent surgical management and 72 underwent management conservatively, hence aetiology of intestinal obstruction was studied in the operative patients. Results:The peak age incidence was seen between 31-60 years in small bowel obstruction. Abdominal pain 283(98%) and distension 278(96%) were the most common presenting complaints. Out of 290 patients 218 (75.17%) patients underwent a surgical procedure in whom the most common intraoperative findings were adhesions and bands seen in 84 cases (38.53%) which were post-operative. Malignancy was seen in 6 cases (9.17%) involving small bowel. Adhesiolysis was the most common procedure done in 94 cases, with 78 cases of postoperative adhesive intestinal obstruction. Surgical site infection was the most common complication 109(50%). Conclusion: Clinical, radiological, and operative findings put together can bring about the best and most accurate diagnosis of intestinal obstruction. Among the factors influencing mortality and morbidity are age, state of hydration, the viability of the bowel, aetiology of obstruction, site of obstruction, delay in diagnosis and surgical intervention and associated medical illness