title: Post appendectomy small bowel obstruction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Postoperative small bowel obstruction is one of the adverse effects of appendectomy but its frequency varies from center to other. This study was conducted to determine the incidence of this complication among our patients who had appendectomy and identify the factors which may increase the risk.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case notes of patients who underwent appendectomy from January 1998 to December 2003 in King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia were reviewed. Patients readmitted for adhesive small bowel obstruction were traced and their clinical data were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six hundred and seven patients were eligible for the study. Six patients (1%) developed intestinal obstruction. Frequency of readmission of patients with features of intestinal obstruction ranged from 1-6 (mean of 2 times).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The incidence of small bowel obstruction after appendectomy is low. The main risk factors were reviewed and measures to avoid them were suggested.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. gkhairy@ksu.edu.sa
authors.forename: Gamal A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Khairy
authors.forename: Mohammad F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Afzal
authors.forename: Khalid R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Murshid
authors.forename: Salman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guraya
authors.forename: Alaa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ghallab
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001062:Appendectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012529:Saudi Arabia