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[Value of the small bowel feces sign at CT in adhesive small bowel obstruction]
E Delabrousse1, R Baulard, P Sarliève
1Service de Radiologie A, CHU Jean Minjoz, 3 bd Fleming, 25000 Besançon.
Purpose:
The purpose of this study is to describe the CT features of the small bowel feces sign and to determine its value as a positive criteria of non-severity in adhesive small bowel obstruction.
Materials And Methods:
We performed a retrospective study of adhesive small bowel obstructions diagnosed by CT from January 2001 to December 2002. All CT examinations featuring a small bowel feces sign were included. Clinical follow-up was available for all included patients.
Results:
Twenty patients were included in this study. Twelve patients underwent successful conservative treatment with nasogastric aspiration. Urgent laparotomy performed in 6 cases and delayed surgical intervention performed in 3 did not show ischemic complication. Surgical management always consisted in lysis of adhesions without intestinal resection.
Conclusion:
Recently described in the radiological literature, the small bowel feces sign appears to be the first criteria of non-severity in adhesive small bowel obstruction.
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