[Ultrasonographic findings of adhesion ileus--with special reference to surgical indications].

Eighty-one cases with adhesion ileus were examined by ultrasonography from January 1983 to July 1987. In this study, the association of ultrasonographic findings with surgical indications for adhesion ileus was evaluated. The subjects were divided into three groups: Group I, consisting of 29 cases of simple ileus improved by conservative treatment; Group II, 24 cases of simple ileus which required surgical treatment and Group III, 28 cases of strangulation ileus. In comparison with Group I, Group mean value of II + III which required surgical treatment showed a significantly larger maximum diameter of the dilated intestine (3.2 +/- 0.7 cm for Group I vs 3.8 +/- 0.5 cm for Group mean value of II + III) and significantly higher incidences of wall thickening and ascites (respectively 21% and 31% from Group I vs 54% and 73% from Group mean value of II + III). In comparison with the cases of simple ileus (Group mean value of I + II), those of strangulation ileus (Group III) showed significantly higher incidences of akinetic dilated intestine and ascites (respectively 17% and 43% from Group mean value of I + II vs 93% and 86% from Group III). These results make us conclude that ultrasonography is highly useful in deciding surgical indications for adhesion ileus.