How is intestinal obstruction treated?

Written by Li Jin Quan
General Surgery
Updated on September 09, 2024
00:00
00:00

Patients with intestinal obstruction primarily receive the following treatments: First, basic treatment, which includes gastrointestinal decompression, where patients need to refrain from eating and drinking, meaning they cannot consume food or water. Additionally, a gastric tube may be inserted. Second, frequent vomiting combined with the prohibition of food and drink can lead to disturbances in electrolyte and acid-base balance, so intravenous fluid supplementation is used to correct these imbalances. Third, appropriate antibiotics are used to prevent infection. Further, in cases of intestinal obstruction, abdominal distension can cause a sensation of bloating in the stomach, and somatostatin may be used to reduce the secretion of gastrointestinal fluids and alleviate abdominal distension. Alongside basic treatment, it’s essential to monitor the abdominal condition to see if it worsens, and surgical intervention should be considered when necessary.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhang Peng
General Surgery
50sec home-news-image

Intestinal obstruction complications

The complications of intestinal obstruction include some common clinical symptoms such as abdominal pain, distension, nausea, vomiting, and cessation of passing gas or stool from the anus. The initial symptom in complications is electrolyte imbalance, which is caused by the inability to eat and frequent vomiting. Another issue is the displacement of intestinal flora due to the obstruction, which can lead to infections. This is why it’s essential for patients with intestinal obstruction to actively undergo antibiotic treatment. The most severe complication is that a serious intestinal obstruction can lead to necrosis of the intestine. Based on this necrosis, a patient can develop septic shock or toxic shock, which are life-threatening conditions.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Xu Jun Hui
General Surgery
1min 19sec home-news-image

Is intestinal obstruction dangerous?

Intestinal obstruction is a relatively dangerous and common emergency condition in general surgery. It is a disease caused by an obstruction to the passage of intestinal contents, categorized by its causes into mechanical intestinal obstruction, dynamic intestinal obstruction, and vascular intestinal obstruction, among which vascular intestinal obstruction is particularly dangerous. Based on blood circulation in the intestinal wall, it is divided into simple intestinal obstruction and strangulated intestinal obstruction, with strangulated intestinal obstruction being more dangerous as it can easily lead to ischemic necrosis of the intestines. According to the degree of obstruction, it is classified into partial intestinal obstruction and complete intestinal obstruction, with the latter being more dangerous. Intestinal obstruction, especially strangulated or vascular intestinal obstruction, can lead to obstructed blood circulation in the intestinal wall, resulting in ischemic necrosis and possibly perforation, making it a very dangerous condition.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhang Peng
General Surgery
41sec home-news-image

Do intestinal obstructions cause vomiting?

The typical four major symptoms of intestinal obstruction are pain, vomiting, bloating, and constipation. Vomiting refers to the urge to vomit; however, it does not mean that every patient with an obstruction must exhibit symptoms of vomiting, as the symptoms vary depending on the location of the obstruction. Obstructions can be categorized into lower and upper types. Upper obstruction may present more apparent vomiting symptoms, while lower obstruction might lead to significant bloating but less obvious vomiting. Therefore, vomiting is not a necessary symptom for the treatment of intestinal obstruction, but it can help in assessing the condition of the obstruction.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Gao Tian
General Surgery
36sec home-news-image

Symptoms of intestinal obstruction

The symptoms of intestinal obstruction generally manifest as abdominal pain, especially cunning types that can cause severe abdominal pain. Secondly, due to the blockage of the intestines by the obstruction, it can lead to vomiting of stomach acid, which is also greatly related to the location of the obstruction. Thirdly, there will be intestinal discomfort, which leads to some discomforts. Therefore, if the above symptoms appear, it is recommended to quickly visit the general surgery department to complete relevant examinations and intervene early based on the results to prevent further damage.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Xu Jun Hui
General Surgery
52sec home-news-image

Can you fart with intestinal obstruction?

Intestinal obstruction is caused by any reason that prevents the passage of intestinal contents. Intestinal obstruction can be divided into acute, partial, and acute complete intestinal obstruction. In complete obstruction, there is a cessation of both gas and feces passage from the anus. Partial obstruction may still allow the passage of gas from the anus, i.e., farting, or a small amount of bowel movement. Acute complete intestinal obstruction is accompanied by abdominal pain and distension, with no gas or feces passing through the anus. Higher intestinal obstructions may also involve nausea and vomiting. Treatment requires gastrointestinal decompression, anti-inflammatory hydration, and if necessary, enema treatment until intestinal function is restored and gas and bowel movements can occur.