Use of gastrointestinal contrast studies in obstruction of the small and large bowel

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Abstract
Gastrointestinal contrast studies were performed in 96 (27 percent) of 342 patients with small-bowel obstruction including 57 upper gastrointestinal and 39 barium-enema examinations. In 34 patients, upper gastrointestinal examination disclosed either obstruction or failure of contrast to reach the cecum in 24 hours; all 34 patients required surgery. The remaining 23 patients who had upper gastrointestinal studies recovered with tube decompression. Barium enema demonstrated obstruction in 13 (33 percent) of 39 cases of suspected small-bowel obstruction and localized obstruction in the colon rather than small bowel in 9 of 13 cases. Barium enema was 100 percent predictive of surgery when obstruction was shown, but was not helpful in predicting surgery when obstruction was not demonstrated. Surgery was required in 42 percent of patients whose barium enema did not show obstruction. Barium enema also was performed in 19 of 23 patients with large-bowel obstruction and showed the level of obstruction in all cases. All patients with largebowel obstruction required surgery except for three who recovered after barium-enema reduction of intussusception or volvulus. Barium upper gastrointestinal examination is recommended in small-bowel obstruction when plain films are nondiagnostic, and in selected cases of small-bowel obstruction that do not resolve with a short trial of tube decompression. Barium enema is not recommended in suspected small-bowel obstruction but should be performed in all cases of largebowel obstruction, except when perforation is a possibility or when the cecum measures 10 cm or larger in diameter.