title: Mechanical Bowel Obstruction--Changes in Aetiology over the Past 145 Years: A Single Centre Retrospective Cohort Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mechanical bowel obstruction (MBO) remains one of the most common abdominal surgical emergencies. The aetiology of MBO depends on the population demographics and period of time in which a given population was studied. We are presenting the results of an analysis covering 145 years of observations based on patients operated in our department.
  
  
  METHODS
  The single centre retrospective analysis included 1825 patients with MBO. They were divided into 4 groups depending on the years in which they were treated : group 1 (1868-1898), group 2 (1956-1970), group 3 (1987-1999), group 4 (2000-2013). The analysis covered the sex distribution, the mean age of patients versus the life expectancy and changes in MBO aetiology in every period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We noticed an increase in the mean age and the growing divergence between life expectancy. Additionally, an increasing percentage of women were observed. There were also significant changes in the aetiology. An increase in MBO caused by cancer was observed. The rate of strangulated hernias doubled in the second period of time, and then it gradually decreased. Intestinal volvulus was common in the first period and became one of the rarest causes of MBO in the subsequent periods. MBO due to adhesions remained at the same level. It became, however, the most common cause in the last period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Within nearly 150 years significant changes occurred in the demographics and aetiology of MBO. Currently, the most common cause is peritoneal adhesions after previous surgeries. Although our results represent a single centre experience, they may reflect changing patterns in MBO in the Polish population over time.
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of General Surgery, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pędziwiatr
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Budzyński
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stanek
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matłok
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Major
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wierdak
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Migaczewski
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rembiasz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Budzyński
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D005260:Female; D046449:Hernia, Abdominal / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007414:Intestinal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D000267:Tissue Adhesions / Q000150:complications