INCIDENCE AND MANAGEMENT OF POST-APPENDECTOMY SMALL BOWEL OBSTRUCTION: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY

Abstract

Appendectomy is the most performed emergency abdominal surgery across the globe, however, it has several complications, which make all its activities prone and subject to hemorrhic postoperative small bowel obstruction (SBO) as a result of the adhesions. The retrospective hospital-based research done between June 2005 and June 2010 in S.S. Institute of medical Sciences & Research Centre contained 782 patients who had gone through open appendectomy. Of these, 47 patients (6%) got small bowel obstruction whose average age was 29 years. It reviewed Clinical, radiological and laboratory results, and the nature of surgical intervention that was needed in the case of SBO. Small bowel obstruction developed within a few days after operations in 2 patients (0.2%), and within 2 years in 13 patients (1.6%) and thereafter in the remaining (4%). The most frequent kind of obstructive band adhesions was identified and some patients needed reception of bowel resection because of strangulation. The results were that the application of the linen in ligating the base of the appendix had shown a greater incidence of SBO. This paper has highlighted the need of early diagnosis and immediate treatment as delay might result in serious complication such as gastrointestinal resections. Minimally invasive surgery can potentially lower the risk of SBO, and more studies are required in order to gauge the efficacy of different preventative measures against postoperative adhesions.