Intestinal Obstruction

Overview

Intestinal obstruction is a condition in which intestinal contents cannot pass smoothly through the bowel due to various causes. As an acute abdominal emergency, it commonly presents with bloating, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and failure to pass gas or stool, and severe cases may lead to fluid and electrolyte imbalance, infection, and bowel perforation.

Symptoms

• Abdominal pain
• Bloating
• Vomiting
• No passage of stool or gas
• Abnormal bowel sounds

Treatment

Requires prompt medical attention with fasting, gastrointestinal decompression, and fluid replacement. Strangulated or complete obstruction, or cases where conservative treatment fails, require surgery to relieve the obstruction.

Dietary advice

Fast during the acute phase; during recovery, progress gradually from liquid to semi-liquid foods with small frequent meals, avoiding hard-to-digest and gas-producing foods.