EXPERIMENTAL AND CLINICAL OBSERVATIONS RELATING TO THE MANAGEMENT OF ACUTE BOWEL OBSTRUCTIONS

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The intelligent management of bowel obstruction envisages an understanding of the effects of obstruction, its recognition, and an accurate appraisal of the true value of therapeutic agents. A careful coordination of clinical and roentgen findings will usually indicate with accuracy: whether obstruction is present; whether it is simple or strangulating in character; the site of the obstruction and whether the obstruction is complete or incomplete. Unfortunately the exact variety of obstruction and the manner in which the bowel is obstructed may not be disclosed without operative intervention and even then its precise nature may remain somewhat in doubt. The old axiom that the high obstructions are the most serious is not tenable. Low obstructions hold far greater risk to life in that sustained intraluminal pressures threaten the viability of the bowel wall. Vomiting obviates this occurrence in high obstructions and the fluid and mineral loss can be replaced simply by free adm. of saline soln. All low obstructions need early decompression of the bowel to maintain a normal blood flow. Blood loss is a factor to be reckoned with in all strangulating obstructions. Saline soln., transfusion of blood, and O2 are adjunct measures of treatment, all of which have their indications. The direct measures of relief are operation and suction applied to an indwelling duodenal tube. Operation is still the most dependable agent in the relief of mechanical obstructions, but suction renders operation unnecessary in certain types of cases.
Keywords

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: