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Intestinal Obstruction, Pediatric

Nora M. Fullington, MD and Jeremy T. Aidlen, MD Reviewed 10/2018
 


BASICS

DESCRIPTION

  • Blockage of normal flow of air and other contents through the intestine

    • May be partial or complete, mechanical or functional

    • May arise from intrinsic abnormalities (e.g., meconium ileu...

DIAGNOSIS

  • Presentation may be acute and dramatic or chronic and subtle.

  • Chronic or intermittent obstruction can be more challenging to diagnose.

  • Careful history, physical examination, and consideration ...

TREATMENT

GENERAL MEASURES

  • Paralytic ileus is usually self-limiting and resolves with supportive treatment.

  • Nasogastric decompression and fluids alone initially for adhesions. Adhesive postoperative obs...

ONGOING CARE

PROGNOSIS

  • Varies with different causes of intestinal obstruction, age of the patient, and associated conditions

  • Extensive bowel resection or multiple repeat bowel resections can lead to sho...

ADDITIONAL READING

  • McAteer JP, Kwon S, LaRiviere CA, et al. Pediatric specialist care is associated with a lower risk of bowel resection in children with intussusception: a population-based analysis. ...

CODES

ICD9

  • 560.9 Unspecified intestinal obstruction

  • 777.1 Meconium obstruction in fetus or newborn

  • 751.1 Atresia and stenosis of small intestine

  • 560.2 Volvulus

  • 560.81 Intestinal or peritoneal adhesions wit...

FAQ

  • Q: When should I consult a pediatric surgeon?

  • A: If there is concern for bowel obstruction, a pediatric surgical consultation should be obtained early. In some cases, emergency surgery is necessary...

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