Potentially life-threatening emergency
Small bowel obstruction
Alerts and Notices
Synopsis
Small bowel obstruction is characterized by abdominal pain, failure to move bowels or pass flatus, nausea, and often emesis, depending on the location of the obstruction. Patients who have had prior abdominal surgery, hernias, inflammatory intestinal processes, malignancies in or around the small intestine, foreign body ingestion, or prior radiation exposure are at particularly high risk for developing small bowel obstructions.
The greatest concern from a small bowel obstruction is the risk of increased dilation leading to necrosis and perforation of the bowel.
Codes
ICD10CM:K56.609 – Unspecified intestinal obstruction, unspecified as to partial versus complete obstruction
SNOMEDCT:
281255004 – Small bowel obstruction
Look For
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Diagnostic Pearls
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Differential Diagnosis & Pitfalls
- Intestinal ileus
- Gastrointestinal dysmotility
- Intussusception
- Intestinal malrotation / volvulus
- Large bowel obstruction
- Viral gastroenteritis
- Appendicitis
- Intestinal perforation
Best Tests
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Management Pearls
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Therapy
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Drug Reaction Data
Below is a list of drugs with literature evidence indicating an adverse association with this diagnosis. The list is continually updated through ongoing research and new medication approvals. Click on Citations to sort by number of citations or click on Medication to sort the medications alphabetically.Subscription Required
References
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Last Reviewed: 04/18/2017
Last Updated: 04/18/2017
Last Updated: 04/18/2017
Potentially life-threatening emergency
Small bowel obstruction
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