Postoperative Adhesive Small Bowel Obstruction Presenting as Acute Urinary Retention

Postoperative adhesions are commonly seen after most abdominal surgeries. The majority of patients with intra-abdominal adhesions remain asymptomatic; however, some patients may develop symptoms ranging from mild abdominal pain to sometimes life-threatening complications. The most severe complication seen in association with postoperative adhesions is small bowel obstruction (SBO). This complication is rarely seen in the pediatric age-group. Adhesions have the potential to cause bowel obstruction. In addition, they can also affect the normal intestinal motility and transit leading to constipation. Several studies reported in literature show a strong association between constipation and the urinary disorders, such as incontinence and urinary urgency. We herein report a case of a boy who developed adhesive SBO with segmental ileal dilatation leading to constipation, urinary symptoms, and finally presenting to our hospital as acute urinary retention.

Zaki SA, Banur D, Chaudhary N, Gebran S. Postoperative Adhesive Small Bowel Obstruction Presenting as Acute Urinary Retention. Indian J Crit Care Med 2022;26(6):739-741.