Overview
Bowel obstruction is a blockage that prevents food or liquid from passing through your small or large intestine (colon). Causes of intestinal obstruction may include fibrous bands of tissue (adhesions) in the abdomen that form after surgery; complain; colon cancer; certain medications; or strictures from an inflamed intestine caused by certain conditions, such as Crohn's disease or diverticulitis.
Large intestine and small intestine
The small and large intestines are parts of your digestive tract that process the food you eat. The intestines extract nutrients from food. What is not absorbed by the intestines continues through the digestive tract and passes as feces during bowel movements.
Without treatment, the blocked parts of the intestine can die, which can lead to serious problems. However, with immediate medical attention, intestinal obstruction can often be treated successfully.
Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of intestinal obstruction include:
- Cramping stomach pain that comes and goes
- Lost appetite
- Constipation
- Vomit
- Inability to have a bowel movement or pass gas
- Swelling of the abdomen
When should you consult a doctor?
Because of the serious complications that can occur due to intestinal obstruction, you should seek immediate medical attention if you have severe abdominal pain or other symptoms of intestinal obstruction.
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Reasons
The most common causes of intestinal obstruction in adults are:
- Intestinal adhesions - bands of fibrous tissue in the abdominal cavity that can form after abdominal or pelvic surgery
- Hernia - parts of the intestine that protrude into another part of your body
- Colon cancer
In children, the most common cause of intestinal obstruction is pushing out of the intestine (intussusception).
Darminvagin*tie
Intussusception is a rare, serious condition in which part of the intestine enters an adjacent part.
Other possible causes of intestinal obstruction include:
- Inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn's disease
- Diverticulitis - a condition in which small, bulging sacs (diverticula) in the digestive tract become inflamed or infected
- Twisting of the large intestine (volvulus)
- Affected stool
Pseudo-obstruction
Intestinal pseudo-obstruction (paralytic ileus) can cause signs and symptoms of intestinal obstruction, but there is no physical blockage. In paralytic ileus, muscle or nerve problems disrupt the normal coordinated muscle contractions of the intestines, slowing or stopping the movement of food and fluid through the digestive system.
Paralytic ileus can affect any part of the intestine. Reasons could be:
- Abdominal or pelvic surgery
- Infection
- Certain medications that affect muscles and nerves, including antidepressants and opioids
- Muscle and nerve disorders, such as Parkinson's disease
Risk factors
Diseases and conditions that can increase your risk for intestinal obstruction include:
- Abdominal or pelvic surgery, which often causes adhesions - a common intestinal obstruction
- Crohn's disease, which can cause the walls of the intestine to thicken, making the passage smaller
- Cancer in your stomach
Complications
Left untreated, intestinal obstruction can cause serious, life-threatening complications, including:
- Tissue dead.Bowel obstruction can cut off the blood supply to part of your intestine. Lack of blood causes the intestinal wall to die. Tissue death can result in a tear (perforation) in the intestinal wall, which can lead to infection.
- Infection.Peritonitis is the medical term for infection in the abdominal cavity. It is a life-threatening condition that requires immediate medical attention and often surgical treatment.
