Difference between revisions of "Intestinal Obstruction"

Revision as of 08:40, 19 August 2009

Signalment

Description

Intestinal obstruction can be classified as acute or chronic, partial or complete, simple or incarcerated. The cause of the obstruction can be intraluminal, extraluminal or intramural. Most common causes of intestinal obstruction include intussusception, neoplasia and foreign body. Young animals are more likely to develop intussusception following gastroenteritis or intestinal surgery. Other causes include intetinal volvulus and obstruction due to incarcerated intestinal loops.

Diagnosis

Clinical Signs

Simple obstruction

Vomiting; the further the obstruction is towards the mouth, the more frequent the vomiting is
Moribund or in septic shock; if part of the intestine becomes devitalised, resulting in septic peritonitis
Abdominal foreign body, mass or obstructive ileus may be palpable

Laboratory Tests

Haematology

Biochemistry

Other Tests

Diagnostic Imaging

Radiography

Plain abdominal radiography may be all that is needed to reveal the cause of the obstruction.
Contrast radiography may be needed if ileus and obstruction cannot easily be distinguished.

Ultrasonography

Most of the time, this is a more sensitive technique in revealing the cause of the obstruction compared to radiography. Dilation and thickening of the wall of the intestine may be visible.

Histopathology

Fine needle aspirate may be warranted before surgery if a mass is suspected, such as lymphoma.

Treatment

Stabilisation

Electrolyte and acid-base derangements are common in a vomiting animal. These need to be addressed prior to anaesthesia.

Surgery

Once stabilised, the animal can be taken to surgery.

Prognosis

Good, if there is no septic peritonitis and there is no need for a large resection of the intestines.

References

Ettinger, S.J. and Feldman, E. C. (2000) Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine Diseases of the Dog and Cat Volume 2 (Fifth Edition) W.B. Saunders Company.
Hall, E.J, Simpson, J.W. and Williams, D.A. (2005) BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Gastroenterology (2nd Edition) BSAVA
Nelson, R.W. and Couto, C.G. (2009) Small Animal Internal Medicine (Fourth Edition) Mosby Elsevier.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{unfinished}}
+{{dog}}
+{{cat}}
 ==Signalment==
-*No breed predisposition
-*No sex predilection
 ==Description==
-'''Intestinal obstruction''' can be classified as acute or chronic, partial or complete, simple or incarcerated.  The cause of the obstruction can be intraluminal, extraluminal or intramural.  Most common causes of intestinal obstruction include [[Intussusception|intussusception]], neoplasia and foreign body.  [[Intussusception|Intussusception]] is more likely in young animals with a history of gastroenteritis or intestinal surgery.  Cats frequently present with linear foreign bodies.  Other less common causes include intestinal torsion/volvulus and incarcerated intestinal obstruction.  Neoplasia is more commonly present in middle-aged to older animals.
+Intestinal obstruction can be classified as acute or chronic, partial or complete, simple or incarcerated.  The cause of the obstruction can be intraluminal, extraluminal or intramural.  Most common causes of intestinal obstruction include intussusception, neoplasia and foreign body.  Young animals are more likely to develop intussusception following gastroenteritis or intestinal surgery.  Other causes include intetinal volvulus and obstruction due to incarcerated intestinal loops.
 ==Diagnosis==
 ===Clinical Signs===
-The clinical presentation depends on the cause, severity, and the site of obstruction.  Upper small intestinal obstruction causes a net fluid secretion whereas lower small intestinal obstruction causes a net fluid resorption.  [[Antibiotic Responsive Diarrhoea|Antibiotic responsive diarrhoea]] is more likely to occur in distal small intestinal obstruction.
 ====Simple obstruction====
-*[[Vomiting|Vomiting]]; the further the obstruction is towards the mouth, the frequency and the volume is higher
+*Vomiting; the further the obstruction is towards the mouth, the more frequent the vomiting is
-*Moribund or in septic shock; in cases where part of the intestine becomes devitalised, resulting in septic peritonitis
+*Moribund or in septic shock; if part of the intestine becomes devitalised, resulting in septic peritonitis
 *Abdominal foreign body, mass or obstructive ileus may be palpable
-====Incarcerated intestinal obstruction====
-*Acute [[Vomiting|vomiting]]
-*Abdominal pain
-*Depression
-*[[Shock#Endotoxic shock|Endotoxic shock]] with toxic mucous membranes and tachycardia
-====Intestinal torsion/volvulus====
-Acute and severe onset of:
-*nausea
-*retching
-*[[Vomiting|vomiting]] ± bloody diarrhoea
-*acute abdomen
-*abdominal fluid accumulation
-*depression
-====Linear foreign body====
-*[[Vomiting|Vomiting]]; food, bile and/or phlegm
-*Anorexia, depression
 ===Laboratory Tests===
 ====Haematology====
-*Mild dehydration to septic shock
 ====Biochemistry====
-*Hypochloraemia and hypokalaemia acid-base derangement is common in animals with intestinal obstruction.
-*Metabolic alkalosis ± aciduria may occur with upper duodenal obstruction.
+====Other Tests====
 ===Diagnostic Imaging===
 ====Radiography====
-*Plain abdominal radiography may be all that is needed to reveal the cause of the obstruction.  Gas and fluid accumulation may be visible due to intestinal dilation.  Decreased serosal detail indicates peritoneal fluid accumulation and free gas in the abdomen suggests perforated intestines.  Gravel sign due to food particle accumulation may be present.  Displacement, bunching or plication may also be seen.
+*Plain abdominal radiography may be all that is needed to reveal the cause of the obstruction.
-*Contrast radiography may be needed if ileus and obstruction cannot easily be distinguished.  However, this may not always be feasible in an emergency situation.
+*Contrast radiography may be needed if ileus and obstruction cannot easily be distinguished.
 ====Ultrasonography====
-Most of the time, this is a more sensitive technique in revealing the cause of the obstruction compared to radiography.  Dilation and thickening of the wall of the intestine may be revealed.
+Most of the time, this is a more sensitive technique in revealing the cause of the obstruction compared to radiography.  Dilation and thickening of the wall of the intestine may be visible.
 ===Histopathology===
 *Fine needle aspirate may be warranted before surgery if a mass is suspected, such as lymphoma.
 ==Treatment==
 ===Stabilisation===
-Fluid balance, electrolyte and acid-base derangements are common in a vomiting animal.  These need to be addressed prior to anaesthesia.
+*Electrolyte and acid-base derangements are common in a vomiting animal.  These need to be addressed prior to anaesthesia.
-===Antimicrbial===
-Broad spectrum antimicrobials, such as [[Penicillins|ampicillin]] or [[Cephalosporins|cephalosporin]] combined with [[Nitroimidazoles|metronidazole]], are usually given prophylactically prior to surgery.  This is vital if there are signs of sepsis or intestinal compromise.
 ===Surgery===
-Once stabilised, the animal can be taken to surgery.  Removal or resection of the obstruction is required.
+*Once stabilised, the animal can be taken to surgery.
 ==Prognosis==
-This depends on type and severity of obstruction.  A simple obstruction with no signs of septic peritonitis has a good prognosis.  The prognosis is better in cases where there is no large resection of the intestines.  On the other hand, the prognosis is grave if there are signs of [[Neoplasia - Pathology #The Process of Metastasis|metastatic]] neoplasia.
+*Good, if there is no septic peritonitis and there is no need for a large resection of the intestines.
 ==References==
@@ Line 71: / Line 62: @@
 *Hall, E.J, Simpson, J.W. and Williams, D.A. (2005) '''BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Gastroenterology (2nd Edition)''' ''BSAVA''
 *Nelson, R.W. and Couto, C.G. (2009) '''Small Animal Internal Medicine (Fourth Edition)''' ''Mosby Elsevier''.
+`
-{{Learning
-|Vetstream = [https://www.vetstream.com/canis/Content/Disease/dis00649.asp, Intestinal obstruction]<br>
-[https://www.vetstream.com/canis/Content/Disease/dis00650.asp, Linear foreign body]<br>[https://www.vetstream.com/canis/Content/Illustration/ill00394.asp, Linear foreign body - radiograph]<br>[https://www.vetstream.com/canis/Content/Disease/dis00652.asp, Intestinal strangulation]<br>[https://www.vetstream.com/canis/Content/Illustration/ill00389, Chronic partial obstruction - radiograph]
-|powerpoints = [[E-Lecture:Intestinal Obstructions]]
-}}
-[[Category:Intestine_-_Mechanical_Obstruction]]
-[[Category:To_Do_-_Clinical]]
-[[Category:Intestinal Diseases - Dog]][[Category:Intestinal Diseases - Cat]]