Key Points. The most common causes of obstruction are adhesions, hernias, and tumors; a small-bowel obstruction in the absence of prior surgery or hernias is often caused by a tumor. Vomiting and third spacing of fluid cause volume depletion. Prolonged obstruction can cause bowel ischemia, infarction, and perforation.

Results: The main causes of bowel obstruction were intra-abdominal adhesions (41.9%) and abdominal malignancy (40.1%).

A bowel obstruction repair generally requires a hospital stay of seven days. Recovery after surgery is a gradual process. Recovery time varies depending on the procedure, your general health, age, and other factors. Full recovery takes six to eight weeks.

Mechanical obstructions are when something physically blocks your intestine. In the small intestine, this can be due to: adhesions, which consist of fibrous tissue that can develop after any abdominal or pelvic surgery or after severe inflammation. volvulus, or twisting of the intestines.

Signs and symptoms of intestinal obstruction include: Crampy abdominal pain that comes and goes. Loss of appetite. Constipation.

Tests and procedures used to diagnose intestinal obstruction include:

1. Physical exam. Your doctor will ask about your medical history and your symptoms.
2. X-ray. To confirm a diagnosis of intestinal obstruction, your doctor may recommend an abdominal X-ray.
3. Computerized tomography (CT).
4. Ultrasound.
5. Air or barium enema.

CONCLUSION: With closely monitoring, most patients with small bowel obstruction due to postoperative adhesions could tolerate supportive treatment and recover well averagely within 1 week, although some patients require more than 10 days of observation.