Distinction between postoperative ileus and mechanical small-bowel obstruction: value of CT compared with clinical and other radiographic findings.
- 1 April 1995
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Roentgen Ray Society in American Journal of Roentgenology
- Vol. 164 (4) , 891-894
- https://doi.org/10.2214/ajr.164.4.7726042
Abstract
The expeditious diagnosis of complete and partial mechanical small-bowel obstruction, as opposed to paralytic ileus, during the immediate postoperative period may be difficult on the basis of clinical and plain film radiographic findings. For this reason, we prospectively evaluated the use of CT in this setting and compared it with the clinical and plain film evaluations as well as with various contrast examinations.Thirty-six postoperative patients with signs and symptoms of paralytic ileus or mechanical small-bowel obstruction were examined clinically and had plain abdominal radiographs. Based on the findings of these examinations, the surgeon assigned patients to one of the following categories: (1) paralytic ileus, (2) indeterminate, (3) partial mechanical obstruction, or (4) complete mechanical obstruction. CT scans were obtained within 24 hr of the initial diagnostic studies, and patients were then recategorized according to the above classification solely based on CT findings. Initial examination r...Keywords
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