Skip navigation | ||
|
||
Medical Encyclopedia |
|
Other encyclopedia topics: | A-Ag Ah-Ap Aq-Az B-Bk Bl-Bz C-Cg Ch-Co Cp-Cz D-Di Dj-Dz E-Ep Eq-Ez F G H-Hf Hg-Hz I-In Io-Iz J K L-Ln Lo-Lz M-Mf Mg-Mz N O P-Pl Pm-Pz Q R S-Sh Si-Sp Sq-Sz T-Tn To-Tz U V W X Y Z 0-9 |
Contents of this page: | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Alternative names Return to top
Paralytic ileus; Intestinal volvulus; Bowel obstruction; Ileus; Pseudo-obstruction - intestinalDefinition Return to top
Intestinal obstruction involves a partial or complete blockage of the bowel that results in the failure of the intestinal contents to pass through.Causes, incidence, and risk factors Return to top
Obstruction of the bowel may be caused by ileus -- in which the bowel doesn't function correctly but there is no "mechanical" (anatomic) problem -- or by mechanical causes. Paralytic ileus, also called pseudo-obstruction, is one of the major causes of obstruction in infants and children.
The causes of paralytic ileus may include the following:
Paralytic ileus may lead to complications causing jaundice and electrolyte imbalances. In the newborn, paralytic ileus that is associated with destruction of the bowel wall (necrotizing enterocolitis) is life-threatening and may lead to infection in the infant's blood and lungs.
In older children, gastroenteritis may be a cause of paralytic ileus, which is sometimes associated with peritonitis and a ruptured appendix.
Paralytic ileus is marked by abdominal distention, absent bowel sounds (no noise heard when listening to abdomen) and relatively little pain (as compared to mechanical obstruction).
Mechanical obstruction occurs when movement of material through the intestines is physically blocked. The mechanical causes of obstruction are numerous and may include the following:
Symptoms Return to top
Signs and tests Return to top
While listening to the abdomen with a stethoscope your health care provider may hear high-pitched bowel sounds at the onset of mechanical obstruction. If the obstruction has persisted for too long or the bowel has been significantly damaged, bowel sounds decrease, eventually becoming silent.
Early paralytic ileus is marked by decreased or absent bowel sound.
Tests that show obstruction include:
Treatment Return to top
The objective of treatment is to decompress the intestine with suction, using a nasogastric (NG) tube inserted into the stomach or intestine. This will relieve abdominal distention and vomiting.Expectations (prognosis) Return to top
The outcome varies with the cause of the obstruction.Complications Return to top
Calling your health care provider Return to top
Call your health care provider if persistent abdominal distention develops and you are unable to pass stool or gas, or if other symptoms of intestinal obstruction develop.Prevention Return to top
Prevention depends on the cause. Treatment of conditions (such as tumors and hernias) that are related to obstruction may reduce the risk.
Some causes of obstruction are not preventable.
Update Date: 7/16/2004 Updated by: Christian Stone, M.D., Division of Gastroenterology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
Home | Health Topics | Drug Information | Encyclopedia | Dictionary | News | Directories | Other Resources | |
Copyright | Privacy | Accessibility | Selection Guidelines U.S. National Library of Medicine, 8600 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20894 National Institutes of Health | Department of Health & Human Services |
Page last updated: 28 October 2004 |