Small bowel obstruction

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Last reviewed: 17 Jan 2026
Last updated: 22 Apr 2024

Summary

Определение

Анамнез и осмотр

Ключевые диагностические факторы

  • constipation/failure to pass flatus or stool
  • risk factors
  • intermittent abdominal pain
  • vomiting
  • abdominal distention
  • abdominal tenderness
  • abdominal mass
  • palpable rectal mass
  • peritonitis
Полная информация

Другие диагностические факторы

  • pyrexia
  • nausea (with or without vomiting)
  • tachycardia
  • groin swelling
Полная информация

Факторы риска

  • previous abdominal surgery
  • malrotation
  • Crohn's disease
  • hernia
  • appendicitis
  • intestinal malignancy
  • intussusception
  • volvulus
  • intestinal atresia
  • foreign-body ingestion
Полная информация

Диагностические исследования

Исследования, которые показаны в первую очередь

  • computed tomography
  • water-soluble contrast study
  • arterial blood gases (including lactate)
  • full blood count
  • electrolytes
  • C-reactive protein
  • urea/creatinine ratio
  • serum lipase or amylase
  • glucose
  • clotting, group and save, or cross-match
Полная информация

Исследования, проведение которых нужно рассмотреть

  • urine or serum beta–human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG)
  • urinalysis
  • ECG
  • magnetic resonance imaging
Полная информация

Алгоритм лечения

Острый

complete or complicated small bowel obstruction: surgery indicated

complete or complicated small bowel obstruction: surgery not indicated

incomplete small bowel obstruction or complete without complications

Составители

Эксперты-консультанты

John Abercrombie, FRCS

General and Colorectal Surgeon

Queen’s Medical Centre

Nottingham

UK

Биография

JA is Clinical Lead for General Surgery, Getting It Right First Time.

Раскрытие информации

JA is trustee and council member of the Royal College of Surgeons of England.

Neena Randhawa, BSc (Hon), MSc, MBChB, FRCS

Consultant Colorectal Surgeon

Royal Victoria Infirmary

Newcastle-upon-Tyne

UK

Disclosures

NR declares she has no competing interests.

Acknowledgements

BMJ Best Practice would like to gratefully acknowledge the previous team of expert contributors, whose work is retained in parts of the content:

John T. Jenkins MD

Consultant Colorectal Surgeon

Department of Coloproctology

St. Mark's Hospital

London

UK

Disclosures: JTJ declares that he has no competing interests.

Edward T. Pring BSc(Hons), MBChB, MRCS

Surgical Registrar and Clinical Research Fellow

St. Mark's Hospital

London

UK

Disclosures: ETP declares that he has no competing interests.

George Malietzis

MBBS, MSc, MRCS

Honorary Clinical Lecturer

Department of Surgery and Cancer

Imperial College London

UK

Disclosures: GM declares that he has no competing interests.

Peer reviewers

Malcolm McFall, FRCS

Consultant Colorectal Surgeon

Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Chichester

West Sussex

UK

Disclosures

Peer reviewer acknowledgements

BMJ Best Practice topics are updated on a rolling basis in line with developments in evidence and guidance. The peer reviewers listed here have reviewed the content at least once during the history of the topic.

Disclosures

Peer reviewer affiliations and disclosures pertain to the time of the review.

References

Our in-house evidence and editorial teams collaborate with international expert contributors and peer reviewers to ensure that we provide access to the most clinically relevant information possible.

Key articles

Ten Broek RPG, Krielen P, Di Saverio S, et al. Bologna guidelines for diagnosis and management of adhesive small bowel obstruction (ASBO): 2017 update of the evidence-based guidelines from the World Society Of Emergency Surgery ASBO working group. World J Emerg Surg. 2018 Jun 19;13:24.Full text  Abstract

Ceresoli M, Coccolini F, Catena F, et al. Water-soluble contrast agent in adhesive small bowel obstruction: a systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic and therapeutic value. Am J Surg. 2016 Jun;211(6):1114-25. Abstract

Jackson P, Vigiola Cruz M. Intestinal obstruction: evaluation and management. Am Fam Physician. 2018 Sep 15;98(6):362-7. Abstract

Eugene N, Oliver CM, Bassett MG, et al. Development and internal validation of a novel risk adjustment model for adult patients undergoing emergency laparotomy surgery: the National Emergency Laparotomy Audit risk model. Br J Anaesth. 2018 Oct;121(4):739-748.Full text  Abstract

Reference articles

A full list of sources referenced in this topic is available to users with access to all of BMJ Best Practice.
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