Comparative Study of Large and Small Intestinal Obstruction

The mortality rate of intestinal obstruction is as high as 30% in spite of extensive research and studies done till now. The recognition and treatment of strangulating intestinal obstruction in time remains an important problem for surgeons today. Success in the treatment of acute intestinal obstruction depends upon early diagnosis and proper management. The objective was to study the age and sex distribution of intestinal obstruction and to compare the small and large bowel obstruction, to study the etiology of presentation of both small and large intestinal obstruction, to study the incidence of strangulation, and to study the mortality rate. Total of fifty patients attended our casualty and diagnosed as acute intestinal obstruction and operated are included in this study. Diagnosis is done pre-operatively as Acute Intestinal Obstruction with the guidance of clinical and radiological and biochemical parameters. A proforma is prepared, which includes the details of patients name, age, sex, IP.No, symptoms, pre op diagnosis, operative procedures, complications and death. Small bowel obstruction was the common cause of obstruction with 72% of the cases compared to 28% due to large bowel obstruction. Males were affected more with nearly twice the number of patients compared to females. Bands and adhesions were the most common cause of intestinal obstruction with 42%, then tumors with 14%, and then sigmoid volvulus seen in 12% of the cases.