title: Second-look laparoscopy after laparoscopic relief of strangulated small bowel obstruction.
abstract: Laparoscopy is increasingly used for the treatment of complex small bowel obstructions (SBO). Conventional treatment of strangulated bowel is segmental resection. We have used second-look laparoscopy to preserve bowel in 4 cases of strangulated SBO. Of the 17 patients with bowel obstruction treated laparoscopically 4 had ischemic bowel. The obstructions were relieved and second-look laparoscopy was performed 24 hours later. In 3 cases the bowel had largely regained its normal appearance; 1 case required resection based on persistent ischemia. An average of 20 cm of bowel was preserved per patient, and there were no complications in these 4 patients. In sum, we have shown second-look laparoscopy for strangulated SBO to be feasible, safe, and, in most cases, bowel conserving.
authors: Department of Surgery, National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, MD 20889, USA. Jonathan.pear@med.navy.mil
authors: Jonathan P
authors: JP
authors: Pearl
authors: Michael J
authors: MJ
authors: Rosen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D007421:Intestine, Small; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D012086:Reoperation / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome