[Significant findings on CT performed before presence of post-surgical bowel obstruction].
We evaluated whether CT performed before the presence of bowel obstruction (pre-CT) is useful in predicting the presence of post-surgical bowel obstruction. Thirty-three patients with post-surgical bowel obstructions who had pre-CT were reviewed. The pre-CT findings were compared with the findings of CT performed after the presence of bowel obstruction (post-CT) in 16 patients, and with the intraoperative findings in 18 patients. Pre-CT demonstrated many interesting findings, such as a discrepancy in the caliber of the bowel, the presence of two adjacent collapsed loops, a beak-like appearance of the bowel, focal distention and/or wall thickness of bowel loops, and twisted mesentery. Twenty-three (70%) of 33 patients had one or more of these findings on pre-CT. All patients with a surgically proved closed loop obstruction had two adjacent collapsed loops on both pre- and post-CT. In six (86%) of seven patients who had focal dilated bowel loops and twelve (71%) of seventeen patients who had twisted mesentery on pre-CT, conservative management was proved ineffective. Pre-CT showed many significant findings. Attention should be paid to these findings, because they can predict the presence of post-surgical bowel obstruction. In particular, we stress that two adjacent collapsed loops on pre-CT is a sign of the presence of post-surgical closed loop obstruction.
Obuchi
M
M
Department of Radiology, Showa University Fujigaoka Hospital.
Takizawa
K
K
Honda
M
M
Uchiyama
K
K
Matsuoka
S
S
Shima
H
H
Hasebe
S
S
Shinohara
H
H
Sato
S
S
Yamada
M
M
Kuniyasu
Y
Y
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed