A blockage, that prevents the passing of food or liquid through your small intestine or large intestine (colon), is known as intestinal obstruction. There can be different causes behind the blockage. The obstruction is of two types, partial and total. There will be a build-up of food, fluids, gastric acids and gas in the blockage area if there is intestinal obstruction. Your intestine can ultimately rupture if enough pressure builds up. Then there will be the leakage of intestinal contents and bacteria that are harmful into your abdominal cavity. It can sometimes be life-threatening.

Symptoms

The following are a few symptoms of intestinal obstruction.

  • Loss of appetite
  • Abdominal pain
  • Inability to pass stool or gas
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhoea
  • Constipation
  • Abdominal cramps
  • Swelling in the abdomen

If the doctor confirms that you have intestinal obstruction after seeing the symptoms and proper diagnosis, he/she may sometimes advise you to go for surgery. You should consult a gastrointestinal surgeon in Kolkata regarding the surgery.

Causes

The following are responsible for intestinal obstruction.

  • Colon cancer

  • Intestinal adhesion: Bands of fibrous tissue, which form after abdominal or pelvic surgery, in the abdominal cavity

  • Inflammatory bowel diseases

  • Hernias: Portions of intestine protruding into another body part

  • Diverticulitis: A condition in which there is inflammation in the bulging small pouches (diverticula) in the digestive tract

  • Volvulus: Twisting of the colon
  • Impacted faeces

A major cause of intestinal obstruction in children is intussusception (telescoping of the intestine).

Risk factors

Your risk of having intestinal obstruction can increase due to:

  • Crohn’s disease
  • Abdominal or pelvic surgery
  • Cancer in your abdomen

Diagnosis

When you consult a doctor, he/she will normally carry out a physical exam. The doctor will also ask questions about your symptoms and your medical history. Some tests may be necessary for you, which include:

  • X-ray: The doctor often suggests an abdominal X-ray to confirm the presence of intestinal obstruction.

  • Computerized tomography (CT) scan: The images available from a CT scan are more detailed than a standard X-ray. This is because cross-sectional images are formed in a CT scan from a series of X-ray images, which are taken from different angles.

  • Ultrasound: Many doctors prefer ultrasound when they need to check the presence of an intestinal obstruction in children.

  • Air or barium enema: An enhanced imaging of the colon is an air or barium enema. The doctor suggests this for certain suspected causes of obstruction.

Treatment

The location and severity of the obstruction are the factors that a doctor considers while choosing the treatment option. One of the treatment options is laparoscopic surgery in Kolkata.

Treating intussusception

The doctor uses barium or air enema for both diagnosing and treating intussusception in children. There is no need for further treatment if it works.

Treatment for partial obstruction

The doctor may decide to wait for some days and advise you to have a low-fibre diet if there is a partial obstruction in your intestine. He/she will normally suggest surgery if the obstruction does not go away on its own within this time.

Treatment for total obstruction

You have to undergo surgery to get rid of a total obstruction in the intestine. A laparoscopic surgeon in Kolkata sometimes performs this surgery. During the procedure, the surgeon inserts a laparoscope and special surgical instruments through a few small incisions made in the patient’s abdomen. He/she then removes the obstruction along with any damaged section of the intestine if necessary.