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Updated: Nov 8, 2025
Murine Ileocolic Bowel Resection with Primary Anastomosis
Published on: October 29, 2014
Paediatric adhesive bowel obstruction: a systematic review
Alexander T M Nguyen1,2, Andrew J A Holland3,4
1Liverpool Hospital, Liverpool, NSW, Australia.
Insights
Adhesions after abdominal surgery frequently cause bowel obstruction in children. While often managed conservatively, surgery is frequently required, and new anti-adhesion materials show promise.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology and Surgical Research
- Pediatric Surgery and Clinical Outcomes
- Biomaterials in Surgery
Background:
- Abdominal adhesions are a frequent complication of abdominal surgery, leading to significant morbidity.
- Adhesions are a primary cause of small bowel obstruction (ASBO), particularly in pediatric patients with prior abdominal surgery.
- Current management often involves conservative measures, but surgical intervention is frequently necessary.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and synthesize current knowledge on Adhesions-Related Small Bowel Obstruction (ASBO).
- To provide an overview of ASBO's incidence, etiology, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, and management in the pediatric population.
- To evaluate the role of novel anti-adhesion materials in preventing postoperative adhesions.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature review of studies on pediatric Adhesions-Related Small Bowel Obstruction.
- Analysis of data on incidence rates, causative factors, and disease mechanisms.
- Review of clinical findings, diagnostic approaches, and therapeutic strategies, including surgical and conservative management.
Main Results:
- The incidence of ASBO in children with prior abdominal surgery ranges from 1% to 12.6%.
- Conservative management is typically the initial approach, but a majority of patients ultimately require surgical intervention.
- Emerging anti-adhesion barriers, such as Seprafilm®, have demonstrated promising results in preventing adhesion formation in pediatric abdominal surgeries.
Conclusions:
- Adhesions following abdominal surgery represent a significant cause of bowel obstruction in children.
- While conservative management is a common first step, surgical intervention is often required for Adhesions-Related Small Bowel Obstruction.
- Further research and application of innovative materials are crucial for improving outcomes and reducing the burden of adhesions in pediatric surgical patients.
Abstract:
Adhesions following abdominal surgery remain a common cause of bowel obstruction. The incidence is between 1 and 12.6% in children who have had previous abdominal surgery. While conservative management is usually trialled in all patients (including children) suspected of having ASBO, the majority will require surgical intervention. New materials such as Seprafilm® have been studied in the paediatric population, with promising results of its use in index abdominal surgeries to prevent the formation of adhesions. In this article, we conducted a systematic review to present an overview of the current knowledge on the incidence, aetiology, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, and management of ASBO.
