RT Book, Section A1 Hess, Mark A2 Cline, David M. A2 Ma, O. John A2 Cydulka, Rita K. A2 Meckler, Garth D. A2 Handel, Daniel A. A2 Thomas, Stephen H. SR Print(0) ID 56273048 T1 Chapter 45. Intestinal Obstruction and Volvulus T2 Tintinalli's Emergency Medicine Manual, 7e YR 2012 FD 2012 PB The McGraw-Hill Companies PP New York, NY SN 978-0-07-178184-8 LK accessemergencymedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=56273048 RD 2024/03/28 AB Intestinal obstruction results from mechanical blockage or the loss of normal peristalsis. Adynamic or paralytic ileus is more common and usually self-limiting. Common causes of mechanical small bowel obstruction (SBO) are adhesions due to previous surgery, incarcerated hernias, or inflammatory diseases. Other causes to consider are inflammatory bowel diseases, congenital anomalies, and foreign bodies. The most frequent causes of large bowel obstructions are cancer, diverticulitis with stricture, sigmoid volvulus, and fecal impaction. Consider intussusception in children. Sigmoid volvulus is more common in the elderly taking anticholinergic medications while cecal volvulus is more common in gravid patients. Intestinal pseudoobstruction (Ogilvie syndrome) may mimic large bowel obstruction. The elderly and patients taking anticholinergic medications are at increased risk for pseudoobstruction.