Band Adhesion Causing Intestinal Obstruction Without Previous Surgery in Pregnancy: A Rare Case

Intestinal obstruction (IO) during pregnancy is a rare occurrence. Although uncommon, IO in pregnancy carries a significant risk of maternal and fetal mortality. Diagnosing IO can be challenging, as abdominal pain and vomiting in pregnant patients may be mistaken for labor pain or hyperemesis gravidarum. Early reports strongly recommend exploratory surgery as the standard treatment once IO is diagnosed. The delivery of the baby during the same procedure may be necessary if the surgical emergency jeopardizes the pregnancy. However, this approach is not ideal if the pregnancy is not at term. In recent years, some cases have demonstrated that small bowel intestinal obstruction (SBIO) can be managed conservatively. In our case, we successfully managed the patient conservatively before performing an exploratory laparotomy and lower segment cesarean section in the same setting to prevent maternal and fetal complications. IO without prior surgery is rare, and even more so during pregnancy. Our case highlights a rare instance of pregnancy-related IO caused by band adhesions in the absence of previous surgical history.