Abdominal Adhesions

What Is It?

Abdominal adhesions are bands. They may lead to organs to stick to another or to the wall of their abdomen.

Abdominal adhesions develop after operation. Organs managed by the surgical team have been shifted from their regular positions. In many individuals, this arouses excessive formation of scar tissues.

Adhesions may also form in those who develop an infection that has spread, peritonitis. Another unusual cause is endometriosis. Tissue that outlines the uterus grows in other parts of the body, such as inside the abdomen.

In the majority of patients, adhesions do not cause health issues. In a small number of those who`ve adhesions, however, the intestines are blocked by the fibrous bands of scar tissue formation either completely or partially. This congestion is called a bowel obstruction.

An area can keep becoming blocked unblocked, causing symptoms go and to come.

Rarely, a section of the bowel twists. This cuts the blood circulation to the twisted bowel, causing what is called"strangulation," and that section of gut begins to die. If this emergency occurs, the person has to be taken to surgery immediately.

Adhesions are rare in patients who have not had abdominal operation. In those who`ve had multiple surgeries, adhesions are typical.

Symptoms

In the majority of people, abdominal adhesions do not cause any symptoms. Adhesions that block the intestine every so often can cause irregular bouts of crampy abdominal pain.

The following symptoms can be caused by important gastrointestinal obstruction:

• Severe

• Nausea and vomiting

• Swelling of the abdomen (abdominal distension)

• Inability to pass gas and bowel movements that are rare or absent

• Symptoms of dehydration, such as dry mouth, dry skin and tongue, extreme thirst urination, Quick heartbeat and blood pressure

If the gut becomes strangulated, people develop acute abdominal pain, which can be crampy or persistent. The stomach is bloated and tender when touched even. People who have a strangulated bowel usually also develop hints of systemic (body-wide) illness, such as fever, quick heartbeat and low blood pressure.

Diagnosis

Your health care provider will examine you, paying special attention to your abdomen. He or she will examine your anus. Your physician will do a rectal examination if you`re a woman. Your physician will order blood tests and xrays of your chest and abdomen and an abdominal CT scan, to find additional signs for the identification. In many individuals who have gastrointestinal obstruction or strangulation, the identification can be confirmed only during that time of abdominal operation.

Expected Duration

Adhesions are permanent unless the patient has a surgical procedure. During this surgery a physician uses tools to clip also to remove as much of this scar tissue formation as feasible.

Prevention

There is. This problem is one reason that doctors are cautious if it is necessary to recommend abdominal operation only. By using a gentle surgical procedure along with gloves, if you`re experiencing abdominal surgery, your physician may minimize the chance of adhesions.

Therapy

Entire small bowel obstructions that are brought on by adhesions require operation. In cases of partial bowel obstruction or even complete bowel obstruction without intense symptoms, surgery may be delayed for 12 to 24 hrs to allow a dehydrated patient to receive fluids intravenously (into a vein) and give anyone an opportunity to avoid operation. In this case, a suction tube which goes to the gut and throughout the nose may be employed to prevent extra bloating and to relieve nausea and pain. Immediate abdominal surgery must eradicate the adhesions to ensure that blood flow to the bowel can be restored when adhesions induce intestinal strangulation.

When To Call a Specialist

Call your doctor whenever you have intense abdominal pain, especially if you have nausea and vomiting, a fever, or infrequent bowel motions.

Prognosis

Adhesions could be treated, but they may be a recurring problem. The problem will keep returning because operation is the cause and the procedure. By way of instance, when operation is done to eradicate an intestinal obstruction generate a new obstruction and adhesions tend to create.

External sources

National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse2 Information WayBethesda, MD 20892-3570Tollfree: -LRB-800-RRB- 891-5389Phone: -LRB-301-RRB- 654-3810Fax: -LRB-301-RRB- 907-8906 http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/

Further information

Always ask with your physician to be sure the information pertains to your circumstances.