title: Acute intestinal obstruction: diagnosis and management.
abstract: In acute intestinal obstruction, the clinician must distinguish between acute small bowel obstruction (ASBO) and acute colonic obstruction (ACO). In cases of ASBO, management depends on whether the patient has had previous abdominal surgery. Most cases of ACO require surgery, although mechanical causes must be distinguished from pseudo-obstruction for different management techniques.
authors.affiliation: Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow HA1 3UJ.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Burke
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D003108:Colonic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D003657:Decision Making; D006801:Humans; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D015607:Stents; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods