Summary

• A mechanical disruption in the patency of the GI tract, resulting in a combination of emesis, obstipation, and abdominal pain.
• A medical emergency that requires early diagnosis and intervention.
• Typically presents with the combined symptoms of abdominal pain, bloating, vomiting, and failure to pass flatus or stool per rectum.
• Diagnosis is generally based upon clinical and radiographic features.
• Treatment involves a combination of nasogastric decompression and surgery. Presumed diagnosis requires urgent surgical assessment.
• Patients who are treated in a timely manner have a very good prognosis. If untreated, it is often fatal.