Intestinal obstruction repair

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Before and after small intestine anastomosis

Intussusception - x-ray

Intestinal obstruction repair is surgery to relieve a bowel obstruction. A bowel obstruction is when the contents of the intestines cannot pass through and exit the body. A complete obstruction is a surgical emergency.

See also:

• Large bowel resection
• Small bowel resection

Repair of volvulus; Paralytic ileus - repair; Intestinal volvulus - repair; Bowel obstruction - repair; Ileus - repair

Intestinal obstruction repair is done while you are under general anesthesia. This makes you unconscious and unable to feel pain.

The surgeon makes an incision (cut) in your belly to expose your intestines. Then the surgeon locates the area of your intestine (also called "bowel") that is blocked. The blockage will be freed.

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Any injured sections of your bowel will be repaired or removed. If a section is removed, the healthy ends will be reconnected with stitches. Sometimes when part of the intestine is removed, the ends cannot be reconnected. If this happens, the surgeon will bring one end out through an opening in the abdominal wall. This is called a colostomy or an ileostomy.

The surgeon will also check the blood flow to the rest of the bowel.

This procedure is done to relieve a bowel obstruction, or blockage. A blockage that lasts for a long time can restrict blood flow to part of the bowel, which can cause the bowel to die.

Surgery is often needed to treat a bowel obstruction. The type of surgery that is done depends on the cause of the obstruction.

The time it takes to recover from bowel obstruction surgery depends on the type of operation that was done to correct the obstruction, and the person's general health.

The outcome is usually good if the obstruction is treated before tissue damage or death occurs in the bowel.

People who have had many abdominal surgeries may form scar tissue. These patients are more likely to have bowel obstructions in the future.

Review Date: 05/17/2010
Reviewed By: Shabir Bhimji, MD, PhD, Specializing in Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Midland, TX. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).