ACUTE INTESTINAL OBSTRUCTION: EPIDEMIOLOGICAL PROFILE AND MANAGEMENT.

Acute intestinal obstruction (AIO) is a frequent and serious medical and surgical emergency. In developing countries, the aetiologies of AIO are dominated by hernia strangulation, whereas in developed countries, the main cause of obstruction is postoperative flange, which accounts for 40% of cases. The aim of the study are represented by the determination of the epidemiological profile of AIO in our institution. We were also interested in the morbi-mortality of this pathological entity and in the evaluation of the management.

The inclusion criteria were all patients aged over 18 years with mechanical AIO operated in our institution during two years.

The mean age of our patients is 61 years, with a sex-ratio of 1,4. There was 67% small bowel obstruction, and 33% colonic obstruction. The aetiology of small AIO is dominated by bridles in 53%, and that of a colonic cause by cancer in 72%. The computed tomography was used in 84,81% of cases. The mortality rate is 7,6% in all the series.

Our results are similar to other series but the cancerous aetiology of AIO is twice as frequent as in the literature. In our series, especially in cases of bowel obstruction, we have noted a high rate of intestinal resection of around 70%, compared to 41% in an African study.

These results should call on the public authorities in our country to develop screening for colorectal cancers in populations at risk, in order to manage them in time.