Recurrent Bowel Obstruction: Is it a Disease? Or a Sign? What is its Treatment?

Abstract

Introduction: The "disease" called "Intestinal Obstruction" is a sign that evolves into a syndrome or even a diagnosis, when in fact it is a consequence of another pathology/etiological diagnosis. Objective: experience of the Surgery and Colon and Rectal Surgery services in patients with recurrent bowel obstruction. Method: retrospective, longitudinal, observational and descriptive study. The records and files of patients treated surgically for recurrent, multicenter intestinal obstruction in three hospitals were reviewed. Results: 183 patients with recurrent intestinal occlusion, of these 19 were included, 16 women (84.21 %) / 3 men (15.79 %), mean of 46 years, range 32 to 71 years. Childs' intestinal plication was modified by the Mexican surgeon Dr. Roberto Blanco Benavidez, which was successful and without recurrence of intestinal obstruction. Discussion: Many patients with intestinal obstruction are secondary to adhesions due to surgical history being 60%, and being the cause of internal hernia, intestinal torsion, stenosis, intestinal ischemia, necrosis, perforation and peritonitis; it is then to carry out an exploratory laparotomy that fortuitously the surgical lysis of the adhesions, with an imminent recurrence of obstruction. Conclusion: Surgery today is the definitive resolving hope of recurrent intestinal obstruction, and Blanco's intestinal plication is to date the only certain, simple, safe and promising option, which meets the objective, not of avoiding adhesion but of forming them in an orderly and functional way, preventing the recurrence of intestinal obstruction.