Objective To analyse the safety and feasibility of laparoscopic techniques in the treatment of elderly patients with acute intestinal obstruction.Methods A prospective two-center single-arm clinical study was conducted.A total of 441 patients with acute intestinal obstruction treated at the department of general surgery of Longyou County People's Hospital and Hospital Affiliated to Qinghai University from October 2017 to October 2021 and met the inclusion criteria were selected as study subjects.Among them,10 patients had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD)and were given mechanical ventilation,noninvasive ventilation,continuous low-flow oxygen inhalation,nebulization inhalation,and bronchodilator treatment after surgery.Twelve patients had chronic kidney disease(CKD)and were given hemodialysis treatment after surgery.All 441 patients underwent laparoscopic exploration,small intestine decompression,and definitive surgery.After surgery,they received intravenous nutrition,antibiotics,and subcutaneous injection of low-molecular-weight heparin(10 U/kg).The blood gas analysis(for patients with COPD),renal function(for patients with CKD),weight,body mass index(BMI),complications,and prognosis were observed before surgery,after surgery,and at discharge.Results There were 441 elderly patients with intestinal obstruction in the study,including 240 males and 201 females.The mean duration of the disease was(74.2±6.4)hours,and the BMI was(25.4±6.7)kg/m2.A total of 280 patients with adhesions underwent adhesion lysis surgery,while 87 patients with small bowel necrosis and 19 patients with small bowel lipoangiomatosis underwent small bowel resection and anastomosis.Additionally,21 patients with obturator hernia underwent hernia repair surgery,and 34 patients with small bowel persimmon stones underwent small bowel incision and stone removal surgery.For the 10 patients with COPD,there was a significant increase in arterial partial pressure of oxygen[PaO2 mmHg(1 mmHg≈0.133 kPa):80.3±3.3 vs.72.6±2.7,P<0.01],and a significant decrease in arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide(PaCO2)compared to preoperative levels(mmHg:35.7±3.6 vs.47.6±1.3,P<0.01).Four patients died of type Ⅱ respiratory failure,and 6 patients had a significant decrease in PaO2[(77.4±6.7)mmHg]and a significant increase in PaCO2[(42.1±5.2)mmHg]at discharge compared to postoperative levels(both P<0.01).Among the 12 patients with CKD,both blood urea nitrogen(BUN)and serum creatinine(SCr)increased significantly after surgery compared to preoperative levels[BUN(μmol/L):79.5±8.5 vs.18.8±4.7,SCr(μmol/L):312.7±12.1 vs.138.4±9.7,both P<0.01].Two patients died of renal failure,and 8 patients had a significant decrease in BUN[(9.2±0.7)μmol/L]and SCr[(112.5±3.8)μmol/L]at discharge compared to postoperative levels(both P<0.01).There were no significant differences in BMI and weight between preoperative,postoperative,and discharge times[BMI(kg/m2):25.4±6.7,24.9±3.9 vs.23.9±3.5;weight(kg):74.2±6.8,73.7±3.3 vs.72.8±4.6;all P>0.05].A total of 435 patients recovered from acute intestinal obstruction with no complications such as lower extremity venous thrombosis,intestinal fistula,wound dehiscence,or wound infection.Conclusion The strategy of treating elderly patients with acute intestinal obstruction by laparoscopic exploration,intestinal decompression,definitive surgery,treatment of underlying diseases,and subcutaneous injection of low-molecular-weight heparin is safe and feasible.