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 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 Gao Tian
General Surgery
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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.

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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 Xu Jun Hui
General Surgery
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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.

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Written by Li Jin Quan
General Surgery
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Does intestinal obstruction expel gas?

Intestinal obstruction typically refers to the inability of the intestinal contents to pass through the intestines and be expelled from the body normally. Common clinical manifestations include abdominal pain, bloating, vomiting, and cessation of bowel movements and passing gas. However, in some cases, such as partial intestinal obstruction or high intestinal obstruction, gas can still be expelled from the anus below the obstruction site. This means that some intestinal obstructions can still pass gas, but the ability to pass gas does not mean the patient has recovered.