Early Postoperative Small Bowel Obstruction

Early postoperative small bowel obstruction (EPSBO) is a distinct clinical entity that is often difficult to differentiate from postoperative ileus. When bowel function does not return within 5 days after surgery, causes of persistent ileus should be excluded and treated. Most instances of mechanical EPSBO can be treated expectantly for at least 10-14 days with almost no risk of bowel strangulation. Some causes of obstruction (for example herniation at a laparoscopic trocar site) require early reintervention, whereas in other cases (such as radiation enteritis, carcinomatosis) reintervention may be deferred indefinitely. Many episodes of EPSBO resolve without the cause being elucidated.