Main Article Content
Pattern of Mechanical Intestinal Obstruction in Aba
Abstract
Intestinal obstruction is a common surgical emergency which demands early diagnosis and prompt treatment.
The objective of this study was to determine the epidemiological pattern of intestinal obstruction in our centre which is in an urban area and compare the results with a rural centre about 60 kilometres from our centre. Aba is the commercial nerve centre of Abia State and also a gateway city in Eastern Nigeria. We are not aware of any previous work that has been done in the sprawling city with a population of over 3 million.
A retrospective study covering 5years (1995-2000) reviewing the cases admitted into our centre (Abia State University Teaching Hospital) and a sister institution in the rural area (Nigeria Christian Hospital) at Onicha Ngwa about 25 kilometres from Aba.
We present a retrospective study that critically analysed a total of 350 cases of intestinal obstruction seen in our centre over a 5year period. The commonest cause being Obstructed/Strangulated external hernia accounting for 56.9% of cases. Large bowel obstruction was rare in this study accounting for less than 5% of all the cases. Strangulated external Hernia was the commonest cause of intestinal obstruction in the rural centre while post operative adhesions account for the highest cause of intestinal obstruction in our centre located in an urban area.
The study confirms the works of others (1,2) that obstructed external hernia accounts for the majority of small bowel obstruction in Nigeria. Most of the patients also seek medical attention quite late accounting for the high bowel resection rate as a result of bowel gangrene. The incidence of large bowel obstruction as a result of malignancies is low compared with the western world.
Jnl Med. Investigation & Practice Vol. 3 2001: 44-48
The objective of this study was to determine the epidemiological pattern of intestinal obstruction in our centre which is in an urban area and compare the results with a rural centre about 60 kilometres from our centre. Aba is the commercial nerve centre of Abia State and also a gateway city in Eastern Nigeria. We are not aware of any previous work that has been done in the sprawling city with a population of over 3 million.
A retrospective study covering 5years (1995-2000) reviewing the cases admitted into our centre (Abia State University Teaching Hospital) and a sister institution in the rural area (Nigeria Christian Hospital) at Onicha Ngwa about 25 kilometres from Aba.
We present a retrospective study that critically analysed a total of 350 cases of intestinal obstruction seen in our centre over a 5year period. The commonest cause being Obstructed/Strangulated external hernia accounting for 56.9% of cases. Large bowel obstruction was rare in this study accounting for less than 5% of all the cases. Strangulated external Hernia was the commonest cause of intestinal obstruction in the rural centre while post operative adhesions account for the highest cause of intestinal obstruction in our centre located in an urban area.
The study confirms the works of others (1,2) that obstructed external hernia accounts for the majority of small bowel obstruction in Nigeria. Most of the patients also seek medical attention quite late accounting for the high bowel resection rate as a result of bowel gangrene. The incidence of large bowel obstruction as a result of malignancies is low compared with the western world.
Jnl Med. Investigation & Practice Vol. 3 2001: 44-48
