[Postoperative mechanical ileus].

Abstract

Postoperative GI obstruction is the third most common postoperative complication, after peritonitis and bleeding, leading to laparotomy. The mortality has declined in the last decade from around 20%-35% to 10%-20%. This is probably caused by better intra-operative surgical techniques and better understanding of the pathophysiology of gastrointestinal motility. The problem most frequently lies in the proximal small bowel particularly after operations on the colon, especially in the presence of inflammation or peritonitis. Differentiation between postoperative paralysis and mechanical obstructions is very difficult. Modern diagnostic techniques have not changed this fact. For assessment of the abdomen, repeated surgical investigations is still of more value than laboratory data alone.