title: Causes and management of intestinal obstruction in a Saudi Arabian hospital.
abstract: A retrospective review of 84 cases of intestinal obstruction admitted to the National Guard Hospital over a period of 10 years was carried out. The main causes of obstruction were: post-operative adhesions, 38 patients (45%); hernia, 17 (20%); pseudo-obstruction, eight (9.5%); intussusception, six (7%); malignant obstruction, four (4.8%); inflammatory obstruction, three (3.6%); volvulus, three (3.6%); and others, five (6%). Large bowel obstruction occurred in only 16 patients (19%). Surgical intervention was necessary in 61 patients (73%) while 23 patients (27%) responded to conservative treatment. Post-operative complications occurred in 14 patients (17%). The main complications were: wound infection, chest infection, prolonged ileus and intestinal fistulae. The mortality rate was 3.5%. The pattern of small bowel obstruction in Saudi Arabia is similar to that in the West, while large bowel obstruction is rather uncommon.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, King Khalid National Guard Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: A Y
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Mohamed
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: al-Ghaithi
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Langevin
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Nassar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001424:Bacterial Infections; D002648:Child; D004751:Enteritis / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006547:Hernia / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007410:Intestinal Diseases / Q000150:complications; D007412:Intestinal Fistula / Q000209:etiology; D007414:Intestinal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D007418:Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction / Q000209:etiology; D007420:Intestine, Large / Q000473:pathology; D007443:Intussusception / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000209:etiology; D015996:Survival Rate; D013896:Thoracic Diseases / Q000382:microbiology; D000267:Tissue Adhesions / Q000150:complications