Intestinal obstruction, or paralytic ileus (ICD-10 code, see below), is a rather serious pathological condition in which substances are much worse excreted from the intestine. As a rule, people who prefer to completely abandon meat usually suffer from such an ailment. It is among vegetarians that such a pathology is most often diagnosed.
Intestinal obstruction is dynamic or mechanical. However, regardless of the type of pathology, at its first signs it is necessary to immediately consult a specialist. He will conduct the necessary diagnostic tests and prescribe the appropriate treatment. If a person is not provided with timely medical assistance, then there is a risk of death.
Basic information
Paralytic ileus (ICD-10 attributes the code K56.0 to this disease) is not an independent pathology. As a rule, this syndrome develops against the background of other diseases. Therefore, intestinal obstruction is more justly considered a symptom of a particular ailment. If we talk about how critical this condition is, more than 3% of people actually experienced quite serious complications that could lead to death.
However, as a rule, a person quickly determines that certain negative changes are occurring in his body, and turns to a surgeon. By and large, paralytic ileus is a syndrome that is caused by a huge number of reasons. There are also various forms of this pathology.
To get rid of the disease, you need to consult a specialist in a timely manner and undergo a course of treatment.
Classification of intestinal obstruction
There are several varieties of this pathology, which differ in anatomical and clinical mechanisms. Depending on the type of pathology, the specialist will prescribe this or that therapy. Most often found in medical practice:
- Dynamic paralytic ileus. In turn, this syndrome is spastic or paralytic.
- Mechanical. In this case, we are talking about inversion and infringement or adhesive obstruction.
- Vascular. In this case, problems appear against a background of intestinal infarction.
Reasons for the appearance
Bowel obstruction can develop against the background of:
- Injury of the hernia.
- Formation or overlap of the lumen by commissures. Against this background, the so-called intestinal retraction often occurs.
- Bowel cancer or other neoplasms in organs located nearby.
- Inversion of the intestines.
- Obstruction of the lumen of the intestine. In this case, we are talking not only about feces, but also about gallstones, worms, foreign bodies, etc.
- Inflammation and diseases of the abdominal cavity.
If we are talking about dynamic paralytic ileus, then, as a rule, surgical intervention leads to it. If operations were performed on the abdominal cavity (especially with peritonitis), then they could well lead to a similar syndrome. More accurately determine the causes of unpleasant symptoms can only an experienced specialist after diagnostic tests.
Symptoms of paralytic ileus
As a rule, intestinal obstruction is almost always accompanied by rather severe abdominal pain. They are sharp, cramping or growing. In addition, many patients complain of nausea and vomiting. This is because the contents of the intestine are redirected to the stomach. It is also worth noting that vomit has a very pronounced odor that resembles feces. This is due precisely to the contents of the intestine, which returns back to the human stomach.
At the same time, the patient begins severe constipation. If paralytic ileus began to develop only recently, then in this case intestinal motility will persist for some time.
If we talk about the most characteristic symptoms, then most often they include a significant increase in the abdomen. In some patients, the abdominal cavity begins to deform and takes on an irregular shape.
Additional symptoms include increased heart rate, low blood pressure and the appearance of dryness in the oral cavity. Also, some patients complain of fever.
Diagnostics
In order to determine that the patient is suffering from this pathology, the specialist first conducts palpation. It will not be difficult for a doctor to notice changes in the shape and size of the patient’s abdomen. However, to make sure of their assumptions, specialists most often carry out x-ray studies.
After receiving a picture of the abdominal organs, the doctor carefully examines it and determines the pathology of the internal organs. A blood test is also performed.
If we talk about additional diagnostic measures, then an ultrasound scan is performed.
Also, the doctor must examine the patient’s language. If a large amount of white plaque is found on it, then this is another confirmation of intestinal obstruction. If the doctor diagnoses an acute degree of this syndrome, then in this case the patient is immediately hospitalized.
Features of the treatment of paralytic ileus
Before you go to the doctor for an examination, in no case should you give the patient a laxative. It is also necessary to abandon painkillers, gastric lavage and the use of enemas. Such measures can significantly complicate the diagnostic process.
If a person goes to the hospital and does not have obstruction, then doctors perform several procedures. First of all, specialists suck out the contents of the stomach and intestines. For this, a thin probe is used, which is inserted through the patient’s nose. If peristalsis is improved after this procedure, then it is enough to drink a course of antispasmodics and adhere to a special diet for paralytic ileus.
If the patient suffers from mechanical obstruction, then conservative therapy may not produce any results. In this case, emergency surgery is performed. During the operation, adhesions are dissected, an inversion is unwound, or a bowel resection is performed.
Additional activities may be required. After the operation has been completed, the patient needs to normalize the water-salt and protein metabolism in the body. For this, special saline solutions and blood substitutes are introduced.
Doctors also often use anti-inflammatory therapy, which is aimed at stimulating the motor function of the gastrointestinal tract.
Features of nutrition after surgery
If the patient underwent surgery, then for several days after that he should adhere to bed rest. The first 12 hours, the patient should not drink or eat anything. During this period of time he receives food through a special probe.
After the doctor resolves solid food, the patient must adhere to a diet. He is forbidden to overeat, drink more than 2 liters of fluid per day. Do not eat foods that increase gas production.
You need to give up sweets, legumes, cabbage, sparkling water. It is forbidden to drink alcohol, fatty, spicy, fried foods. All meals should be warm. The diet is based on juices, decoctions, jellies, mucous porridge and poorly concentrated meat and chicken broth.
Finally
It is worth considering that this syndrome is a very insidious disease. If you do not start treating it in a timely manner, then this can even lead to death. Therefore, do not neglect your health. When the first unpleasant symptoms appear, you should visit a doctor.