OBJECTIVEThe aim of this study was to review the etiology and pathogenesis of patients who underwent surgery for mechanical bowel obstruction. The treatment and prognosis of bowel obstructions caused by intra-abdominal tumors were compared with those due to other causes.

METHODSThe clinical data of 203 patients with mechanical bowel obstruction undergoing operation were analyzed retrospectively. The tumor cases were classified as group I, and all other cases as group II. A range of factors were investigated to estimate the postoperative outcome: gender, age, comorbidities, symptoms and findings of physical and radiological examinations, sites of the obstruction, etiology, therapeutic approach, postoperative complications and mortality.

RESULTSGroup I included 73 patients and Group II 130. Large bowel carcinoma and peritoneal adhesions were the most common causes of Group I and II, contributing 58 and 86 of all cases, respectively. There was no significant difference in terms of gender between the two groups, but the rate of elderly (≥ 70 years) patients was significantly higher (53.4%) than that of the < 70 years old patients (35.4%) (P = 0.012). There was a significant difference between the patients with previous surgical operation history in the tumor group (23.3%) and non-tumor group (58.5%) (P < 0.001). In the 73 cases of the tumor group, the obstruction was located in the large bowel in 58 cases (79.5%), small bowel in 12 cases (16.4%), both small and large bowels in 2 cases (2.7%) and gastric cancer invading the splenic flexure of colon in 1 case, while in the non-tumor group, 111 cases (85.4%) of the obstruction was located in the small bowel and 19 cases (14.6%) and in the large bowel (P < 0.001). Sixty-six cases (90.4%) of the tumor-group underwent intestinal segment excision and 21 cases (28.8%) underwent intestinal fistulation in the tumor group, but in the non-tumor group 61 cases (46.9%) underwent intestinal segment excision and 5 cases (3.8%) underwent intestinal fistulation (all P < 0.001). The hospital stay was (18 ± 6) days in the tumor group and (11 ± 3) days in the non-tumor group (P < 0.01). The complication rate (P = 0.104) and mortality rate (P = 0.187) were not significantly different between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONSTumor mechanical bowel obstruction is more frequently seen in patients in elder age, with colorectal location and without previous operation history. CT scan may provide effective diagnosis and ascertain the presence of the malignant obstruction. Intestinal fistulation is more often needed in patients with tumor intestinal obstruction and endoscopic stenting is a safe option in selected patients with tumor intestinal obstruction.