Intestinal Obstruction

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Basics

• Summary
• Start Here
• Diagnosis and Tests
• Treatments and Therapies

Learn More

• Related Issues
• Specifics
• Genetics

See, Play and Learn

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Research

• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

Resources

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For You

• Children
• Patient Handouts

Summary

An intestinal obstruction occurs when food or stool cannot move through the intestines. The obstruction can be complete or partial. There are many causes. The most common are adhesions, hernias, cancers, and certain medicines.

Symptoms include

• Severe abdominal pain or cramping
• Vomiting
• Bloating
• Loud bowel sounds
• Swelling of the abdomen
• Inability to pass gas
• Constipation

A complete intestinal obstruction is a medical emergency. It often requires surgery.

NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Start Here

• Anatomic Problems of the Lower GI Tract (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
• Intestinal Obstruction (Merck & Co., Inc.)

Diagnosis and Tests

• CT Enterography (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
• GI Radiographic Tests (American College of Gastroenterology)

Treatments and Therapies

• Colectomy (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Colostomy - slideshow (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Intestinal obstruction repair - slideshow (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Ostomy Surgery of the Bowel (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
• Small bowel resection - slideshow (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish

Related Issues

• Ileus (Merck & Co., Inc.)
• Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)

Specifics

• Acute Mesenteric Ischemia (Merck & Co., Inc.)
• Disorders of the Large Intestine (International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders)
• Disorders of the Small Intestine (International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders)
• Gastrointestinal Complications (PDQ) - Bowel Obstruction (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Intestinal Ischemia (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)

Genetics

• Genetics Home Reference: epidermolysis bullosa with pyloric atresia (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: Feingold syndrome (National Library of Medicine)

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Fecal Impaction (National Institutes of Health)
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Intestinal Obstruction (National Institutes of Health)
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Intestinal Volvulus (National Institutes of Health)
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Intussusception (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Acupuncture for enhancing early recovery of bowel function in cancer:...
• Article: Peutz-Jeghers syndrome with intermittent upper intestinal obstruction: A case report...
• Article: Jejunojejunal intussusception after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass in a situs inversus...
• Intestinal Obstruction -- see more articles

Children

• Hirschsprung Disease (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
• Hirschsprung Disease (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
• Intestinal Malrotation (Nemours Foundation)
• Intestinal obstruction (pediatric) - slideshow (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Intussusception (Nemours Foundation)

Patient Handouts

• Intestinal obstruction (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Intestinal obstruction repair (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Intestinal or bowel obstruction - discharge (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Intussusception - children (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Small bowel resection (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish