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Last reviewed: 9 Aug 2024 Last updated: 22 Apr 2024Small bowel obstruction (SBO) is a medical emergency that requires early diagnosis and intervention.
Typically presents with the combined symptoms of abdominal pain, bloating, vomiting, and failure to pass flatus or stool per rectum.
Diagnosis is generally based upon clinical features and confirmed with computed tomography.
Treatment involves a combination of nasogastric decompression and intravenous fluids. Surgery may be required, so the diagnosis requires urgent surgical assessment.
Patients who are treated in a timely manner have a very good prognosis. If untreated, it is often fatal.
SBO is a mechanical disruption in the patency of the gastrointestinal tract, resulting in a combination of emesis (that may be bilious), absolute constipation, and abdominal pain.
General and Colorectal Surgeon
Queen’s Medical Centre
JA is Clinical Lead for General Surgery, Getting It Right First Time.
JA is trustee and council member of the Royal College of Surgeons of England.
Consultant Colorectal Surgeon
Royal Victoria Infirmary
NR declares she has no competing interests.
BMJ Best Practice would like to gratefully acknowledge the previous team of expert contributors, whose work is retained in parts of the content:
John T. Jenkins MD
Consultant Colorectal Surgeon
Department of Coloproctology
St. Mark's Hospital
Disclosures: JTJ declares that he has no competing interests.
Edward T. Pring BSc(Hons), MBChB, MRCS
Surgical Registrar and Clinical Research Fellow
St. Mark's Hospital
Disclosures: ETP declares that he has no competing interests.
Department of Surgery and Cancer
Imperial College London
Disclosures: GM declares that he has no competing interests.
Consultant Colorectal Surgeon
Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Section Editor, BMJ Best Practice
EQ declares that she has no competing interests.
Lead Section Editor, BMJ Best Practice
TAO declares that she has no competing interests.
Head of Editorial, BMJ Best Practice
AE declares that she has no competing interests.
Comorbidities Editor, BMJ Best Practice
JC declares that she has no competing interests.
Drug Editor, BMJ Best Practice
AM declares that he has no competing interests.
Lead Section Editor, BMJ Best Practice
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