INTESTINAL-OBSTRUCTION IN KHARTOUM

The pattern of intestinal obstruction at Khartoum Teaching Hospital wa s reviewed in this study which included 239 patients. 170 of them were males and 68 were females. Their ages ranged from two days to 95 year s (mean 31.4 +/- 5.3 years). The commonest causes of intestinal obstru ction were strangulated external hernias (27.7%), intestinal adhesions (21%), intussusception (12%) and sigmoid volvulus (11%). Less frequen t causes were paralytic ileus, large bowel tumours, peritoneal bands a nd Hirschsprung's disease. Of the strangulated hernias, inguinal herni a (70%) was the most frequent type of hernia seen, followed by paraumb ilical hernia (20%). Previous appendicectomy (40%) and laparotomy for abdominal trauma (20%) were the commonest causes of adhesive intestina l obstruction. The mortality rate of intestinal obstruction was 19.7%. This high mortality is attributed to delayed presentation, fluid and electrolyte imbalance, intestinal ischaemia and gangrene. This could b e minimised by health education, adequate preoperative preparation, me ticulous surgical technique and good postoperative care.