Small bowel obstruction and previous gynecologic surgery.

We reviewed the cases of women admitted to LSU Medical Center in Shreveport with the diagnosis of "small bowel obstruction" from Jan 1, 1975 to June 30, 1981. Review of the charts of patients who had exploratory laparotomy for relief of the obstruction showed that 83% of them had had previous abdominal surgery. Furthermore, 67% of the patients had had an abdominal hysterectomy. In 100% of the cases of obstruction after abdominal hysterectomy, there were adhesions to the site of reperitonealization or to the anterior abdominal wall. This study shows a higher incidence of small bowel obstruction after gynecologic surgery than has been previously reported.