Causes of intestinal obstruction

Written by Gao Tian
General Surgery
Updated on September 01, 2024
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The causes of intestinal obstruction include factors external to the intestine and those originating from the intestine itself. External factors are mainly adhesions and bands of adhesions that cause intussusception or volvulus, thereby leading to intestinal obstruction. Congenital adhesive bands are common in children. Adhesions resulting from abdominal surgery or intra-abdominal inflammatory lesions are the most common causes of adult intestinal obstruction, although a minority of patients may have no history of abdominal surgery or inflammation. Additionally, incarcerated external or internal hernias may also cause intestinal obstruction. Furthermore, tumors external to the intestine or abdominal compression can also lead to obstruction.

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Written by Gao Tian
General Surgery
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Causes of intestinal obstruction

The causes of intestinal obstruction include factors external to the intestine and those originating from the intestine itself. External factors are mainly adhesions and bands of adhesions that cause intussusception or volvulus, thereby leading to intestinal obstruction. Congenital adhesive bands are common in children. Adhesions resulting from abdominal surgery or intra-abdominal inflammatory lesions are the most common causes of adult intestinal obstruction, although a minority of patients may have no history of abdominal surgery or inflammation. Additionally, incarcerated external or internal hernias may also cause intestinal obstruction. Furthermore, tumors external to the intestine or abdominal compression can also lead to obstruction.

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Written by Zhang Peng
General Surgery
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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.

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Written by Xu Jun Hui
General Surgery
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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.

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Written by Zhang Peng
General Surgery
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Causes of intestinal obstruction

Generally, the basic causes of intestinal obstruction can be divided into three categories. The most common is mechanical intestinal obstruction, which mainly includes blockage of the intestinal lumen, such as large fecal masses or corresponding foreign objects, and even parasites. The second type is compression of the intestinal tube, which can be caused by adhesions leading to torsion of the intestine or compression by tumors, and congenital inflammatory strictures and tumors can cause mechanical intestinal obstruction. The second major category is dynamic intestinal obstruction, which is primarily due to weakened peristaltic ability of the intestine, resulting in paralytic intestinal obstruction. This condition can be improved by adjusting intestinal function disorders or treating intestinal spasms. The third type is intestinal obstruction caused by vascular issues in the intestines, most commonly thrombosis of the mesentery or compression causing vascular disorders of the intestines.

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Written by Zhang Peng
General Surgery
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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.