Bowel obstruction following pediatric abdominal cancer surgery
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Updated: Sep 26, 2025
Murine Ileocolic Bowel Resection with Primary Anastomosis
Published on: October 29, 2014
Merieme Habti1, Shin Miyata2, Julien Côté2
1Université de Montréal, CHU Ste-Justine, 3175 chemin cote Ste-Catherine, Montréal, QC, H3T 1C5, Canada.
Insights
Pediatric bowel obstruction is a common complication after abdominal cancer surgery. Non-operative management is often successful, and laparoscopy is a viable surgical option for selected pediatric patients.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Surgery
- Surgical Oncology
- Gastrointestinal Surgery
Background:
- Pediatric bowel obstruction is a frequent complication following intra-abdominal cancer surgery.
- Limited literature specifically addresses this significant post-surgical complication in children.
- This study investigates the incidence, causes, and management of bowel obstructions in pediatric cancer patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the frequency of pediatric bowel obstruction after intra-abdominal cancer surgery.
- To identify the etiological factors contributing to bowel obstruction in this population.
- To evaluate the available treatment options for pediatric bowel obstruction.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of a single tertiary pediatric hospital database over a 10-year period.
- Comparison of clinical characteristics between patients with and without bowel obstruction using bivariate analyses.
- Evaluation of conservative and operative management strategies for bowel obstructions.
Main Results:
- Out of 130 eligible patients, 18 (13.8%) developed bowel obstruction.
- Patients with obstruction were more likely to have received preoperative radiation therapy (16.7% vs 2.7%) and had longer operative times (398 vs 268 min).
- Non-operative management was successful in 39% of cases; minimally invasive surgery was successful in 36% of surgical cases without recurrence.
Conclusions:
- Bowel obstruction is a frequent complication after abdominal cancer surgery in children.
- Conservative management is often successful for pediatric bowel obstruction.
- Laparoscopy is a valuable surgical option for selected pediatric patients requiring intervention.
Introduction:
Pediatric bowel obstruction after intra-abdominal cancer surgery is relatively frequent. Few publications have specifically addressed this significant complication. The purpose of this study was to assess the frequency, etiology and treatment options of bowel obstructions following abdominal cancer surgery in children using our institutional database.
Materials And Methods:
We retrospectively analyzed a single tertiary pediatric hospital database over a 10-year period. The clinical characteristics of patients with and without bowel obstruction were compared using bivariate analyses. The details of the conservative and operative management of bowel obstructions were evaluated.
Results:
Out of 130 eligible patients, 18 (13.8%) developed bowel obstruction in a mean follow-up of 5.7 years. Patients who developed bowel obstruction were more likely to have received preoperative radiation therapy (16.7 vs 2.7%, p = 0.036) and had longer operative time (398 vs 268 min, p = 0.022). Non-operative management was successful in 39% of patients (7/18). When patients needed surgical intervention, minimally invasive approach was attempted and successfully performed in 36% of cases (4/11), none of which required conversion to laparotomy nor presented with recurrent bowel obstruction.
Conclusion:
Bowel obstruction is a frequent complication after abdominal cancer surgery in children. Conservative management is frequently successful. For patients requiring surgical treatment, laparoscopy remains a valuable option and should be considered in selected cases.
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