Background: Adhesions are the most important cause of intestinal obstruction. Approximately 25% of surgical admissions for acute abdominal conditions are due to intestinal obstruction. Better diagnostic and treatment methods of intestinal obstruction could potentially reduce mortality rate to 5-10%. Gastrografin(®) could contribute to this achieve this.
Aim: To present a protocol to treat adhesion intestinal obstruction with Gastrografin(®) that is safe, and allows shorter hospital stays and shorter time between admission and surgery.
Material and methods: All patients with adhesion intestinal obstruction without symptoms of strangulation were treated with Gastrografin(®), intravenous fluids and nasogastric tube. Those in whom contrast reach the colon in 8, 12 or 24hours were considered to have partial obstruction, and were fed orally. If Gastrografin(®) failed in the following 24hours, a laparotomy was performed.
Results: Out of a total of 211 episodes (164 patients), 170 episodes received contrast and in 142 cases Gastrografin(®) reached the colon (104 episodes at 8h, 11 at 12h, and 27 at 24h). A laparotomy was required in 28 patients because of failed treatment, and in another 5 for other causes.
Conclusions: A management protocol for adhesion intestinal obstruction with Gastrografin(®) is safe, reduces morbidity and mortality, and leads to a shorter hospital stay.
Copyright © 2012 AEC. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.