Mucin as possible cause of early adhesional intestinal obstruction

To report the case of a 24 year old female undergraduate who presented with bowel obstruction, three weeks following the excision of a mucinous ovarian cyst.

The records of the patients past and recent medical history laboratory and imaging studies were reviewed.

Clinical findings of a distended and a plain abdominal radiogram showing distended loops of bowel(Figure 2) were in keeping with acute bowel obstruction. This was confirmed by the intraoperative finding of fibrous encasement of small bowel. This was excised ,and 12months thereafter, patient has remain in good health. Figure 2Preoperative A-P abdominal X-ray in erect position showing small distension.

Early and absolute adhesional bowel obstruction from abdominal surgery is failing conservative management rate. We attributed this to the ruptured mucinous cyst in our earlier operation. We therefore suggest that should a rupture cyst of this type occurs during a surgical procedure, any of the preventive methods discussed should be tried as a prophylactic measure.