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Case Reports
. 2021 Feb 10:32:100414.
doi: 10.1016/j.tcr.2021.100414. eCollection 2021 Apr.

Delayed presentation of bowel obstruction after abdominal blunt trauma

M Shalhoub  1 , F Alghamdi  2 , F Alsannaa  2
Affiliations
Case Reports

Delayed presentation of bowel obstruction after abdominal blunt trauma

M Shalhoub et al. Trauma Case Rep. .

Erratum in

Abstract

Blunt abdominal trauma is a rare cause of small bowel obstruction thought to arise from either a sealed perforation of the small bowel or mesenteric injury resulting in adhesions. A 55-year-old gentleman presented with symptoms and signs of small bowel obstruction and a history of blunt abdominal trauma 14 months previously. Abdominal computed tomography showed a transition zone at the terminal ilium with proximal dilatation indicative of obstruction. At surgery, he had adhesions involving the terminal ilium with shortening and fibrosis of the supplying mesentery. Patients with a history of blunt abdominal trauma presenting with abdominal symptoms must be investigated to rule out bowel obstruction, with a low threshold for surgical intervention.

Keywords: Abdominal trauma; Blunt trauma; Delayed presentation; Obstruction.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Abdominal oral contrast CT showing a transition zone at the terminal ilium (arrow) and proximal bowel dilatation (asterisks) in axial (A) and coronal (B) views.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Laparoscopic view (A) showing mesenteric scarring (arrow) with adhesions involving the terminal ilium, with the laparotomy view (B) showing adhesions involving two terminal ileal loops causing partial closed-loop obstruction.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Resection specimen showing dense, inseparable adhesions attached to two lumens of the distal ilium.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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