Acute Intestinal Obstruction: A 1-Year Prospective Audit into Causes

Intestinal obstruction is a common general surgical emergency with high morbidity and mortality. Its aetiology varies widely between and within geographic regions, with gender, age, and time. Obstructed inguinal hernia is still considered the most common cause of intestinal obstruction in Sub-Saharan Africa and other low-income countries, but its incidence appears to be on the decrease as other causes of intestinal obstruction become more common in a particular society.

To examine the spectrum of causes of intestinal obstruction in a tertiary hospital in southern Nigeria and compare the results with earlier studies in the region and Nigeria.

A cross sectional, single-hospital study of adults diagnosed with and having clinical and radiological features of acute intestinal obstruction.

Seventy patients were enrolled in the study, comprising of 35 (50%) males and 35 (50%) females, M:F = 1:1. The mean patient age was 44.8 years. Two peak age incidences of intestinal obstruction were observed in the 36-45 and 56-65 years age groups. Post-operative adhesion 13 (18.5%), obstructed external abdominal hernia 13 (18.5%), colonic cancer 11 (16%), and intussusception seven (10%) were the primary causes of intestinal obstruction. Obstructed inguinal hernia was commonly encountered in males while adhesions and colonic cancers were common in females.

Obstructed external abdominal hernias and post-operative adhesion are at par as the main primary causes of intestinal obstruction. Colon cancer and intussusception are increasingly causing more obstructions.