A Comprehensive Study of Intestinal Obstruction

The commonest cause of intestinal obstruction in the adults in this study series was obstructed Hernia (42%) followed by postoperative adhesions (30%). Tenderness, guarding, rigidity, rebound tenderness and shock are the cardinal feature of strangulated obstruction. The second most common type of intestinal obstruction was due to postoperative adhesions. Salient features were pain. Postoperative adhesions constituted about 30% of the total cases studied. Volvulus of the sigmoid was 4% in this series, all the cases were undergone laparotomy due to failure in the recovery of symptoms. In all cases where there was vascular compromise, resection and anastomosis was done. Malignancy of the large bowel was seen in 7 cases constituting 14% of cases. 65% of the cases diagnosed as malignancy were in the age group 35-75 years. Of these 2 cases were managed with Hartman's procedure and remaining cases was managed with transverse loop colostomy Most of the deaths occurred in malignancy. Although pulmonary tuberculosis more prevalent in India due to advent use of antitubercular drugs incidence of abdominal tuberculosis is becoming less. In our study incidence of ileocaecal tuberculosis was 4% and both were managed with resection and anastomosis.