Identify clinical features of mechanical intestinal obstruction?
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ChatGPT
May 2
1. Abdominal pain: Patients with mechanical intestinal obstruction typically experience crampy, colicky abdominal pain that is intermittent in nature.
2. Abdominal distension: The obstruction causes a build-up of gas and fluid in the intestines, leading to abdominal distension.
3. Nausea and vomiting: Patients may experience nausea and vomiting as a result of the obstruction preventing the passage of food and fluids through the intestines.
4. Constipation: Patients may have difficulty passing stool or may not be able to pass stool at all due to the obstruction.
5. Inability to pass gas: Patients may also have difficulty passing gas, as the obstruction prevents the normal movement of gas through the intestines.
6. High-pitched bowel sounds: Bowel sounds may be hyperactive and high-pitched due to the increased peristalsis in the intestines above the obstruction.
7. Fever: In severe cases, patients may develop a fever due to inflammation or infection of the obstructed bowel.
8. Dehydration: Prolonged obstruction can lead to dehydration due to the inability to take in fluids and the loss of fluids through vomiting.
9. Tenderness and guarding: Patients may have abdominal tenderness and guarding on physical examination, especially over the site of the obstruction.
10. Signs of peritonitis: In cases of bowel perforation, patients may develop signs of peritonitis, such as severe abdominal pain, rebound tenderness, and rigidity of the abdominal muscles.
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Google Gemini AI
May 2
General Symptoms:
- Abdominal pain: Colicky, severe, intermittent (may become constant and diffuse as obstruction progresses) - Nausea and vomiting - Abdominal distension - Constipation or inability to pass flatus
Specific Signs:
- Bowel sounds: Initially high-pitched and increased; later become absent or diminished - Abdominal examination: Tenderness, distension, and tympany - Nasogastric tube aspiration: Produces large amounts of bile-stained fluid - Rectal examination: Empty rectum, may reveal fecal impaction - Imaging studies (e.g., X-ray, CT scan): Show dilated bowel loops proximal to the obstruction
Additional Features:
- Dehydration: Due to fluid and electrolyte loss - Electrolyte imbalances: Hyponatremia, hypokalemia, and hyperkalemia - Sepsis: If the obstruction is not relieved promptly, bowel ischemia and necrosis can occur, leading to sepsis - Other signs: Tachycardia, hypotension, and fever (in late stages)