Large Bowel Obstruciton Flashcards
(8 cards)
Most common cause of large bowel obstruction?
Colon malignancy, more common in distal colona and rectal tumours
What is first line investigation for LBO?
Abdominal X-ray
-> free gas indicates colon perforation
What is a high sensitivity imaging for obstruction and for diagnosis
CT
What is the management fo stable patients?
Conservative management:
diverticular strictures
slow-onset obstructions
close observation is essential
What is the indication for emergency surgery?
clinical or radiological signs of perforation or peritonitis
evidence of ischaemic bowel
rapid deterioration despite conservative measures
-> usually Hartmann’s or stoma formation
What should be used for patients with inoperable or metastatic colorectal cancer?
Colonic stent
What is the definitive investigation for small bowel obstruction?
CT
CT stands for computed tomography, a medical imaging technique.
How does CT compare to other methods in terms of sensitivity for small bowel obstruction?
More sensitive, particularly in early obstruction
Sensitivity refers to the ability to correctly identify patients with the condition.
