OBJECTIVE: To present changes in the cause of intestinal obstruction in an African setting. DESIGN: Consecutive cases of acute intestinal obstruction from 1985 to 1994. SETTING: Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. SUBJECTS: Adult patients with clinical and radiological evidence of intestinal obstruction. RESULTS: There were 99 patients (60 males) aged 15 - 101 years (mean age 45 years). The majority of patients were young and middle-aged adults. Main causes of obstruction included adhesion (N = 44), volvulus (N =15), external hernias (N = 11), colorectal carcinoma (N = 10) and intussusception (N = 8). Approximately two-thirds of patients (28/44) with adhesion had had previous abdominal operations. The overall mortality was 14%, mainly owing to strangulation obstruction and colonic malignancy. CONCLUSIONS: The increasing role of adhesions as a cause of acute intestinal obstruction demands greater need for routine preventive measures against adhesion formation.
OBJECTIVE: To present changes in the cause of intestinal obstruction in an African setting. DESIGN: Consecutive cases of acute intestinal obstruction from 1985 to 1994. SETTING: Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. SUBJECTS: Adult patients with clinical and radiological evidence of intestinal obstruction. RESULTS: There were 99 patients (60 males) aged 15 - 101 years (mean age 45 years). The majority of patients were young and middle-aged adults. Main causes of obstruction included adhesion (N = 44), volvulus (N =15), external hernias (N = 11), colorectal carcinoma (N = 10) and intussusception (N = 8). Approximately two-thirds of patients (28/44) with adhesion had had previous abdominal operations. The overall mortality was 14%, mainly owing to strangulation obstruction and colonic malignancy. CONCLUSIONS: The increasing role of adhesions as a cause of acute intestinal obstruction demands greater need for routine preventive measures against adhesion formation.
Authors: Carlo Vallicelli; Federico Coccolini; Fausto Catena; Luca Ansaloni; Giulia Montori; Salomone Di Saverio; Antonio D Pinna Journal: World J Emerg Surg Date: 2011-01-07 Impact factor: 5.469