POSTTRAUMATIC INTESTINAL STENOSIS - CLINICAL AND RADIOGRAPHIC FEATURES IN 4 PATIENTS

PURPOSE: To characterize posttraumatic intestinal stenosis clinically and radiographically. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The clinical records and radiographic and pathologic findings were reviewed in four patients wi th posttraumatic stenosis. RESULTS: The patients experienced abdominal symptoms from 1 to 18 weeks after the trauma. While the small intesti ne was affected in two patients with ileus, the colon was involved in the other two patients with rectal bleeding or diarrhea. Barium studie s showed an irregular contour within the severely narrowed intestine i n three patients, even 25 weeks after the trauma. In these three patie nts, pathologic examinations of the resected specimens revealed a circ umferential, open ulcer, whereas a scarred ulcer was present in the ot her patient. CONCLUSION: Posttraumatic intestinal stenosis is clinical ly characterized by a delayed onset of symptoms that differ according to the site of involvement. This condition should be included in the d ifferential diagnosis of intestinal stenosis.