Emergency Cases Northwest Group

049 Obstruction Confusion

Situation

Patient had vomiting and diarrhoea: the cause was a partial bowel obstruction.

Background

A woman presented with 3 days of D&V, abdominal pain. It felt like a bowel obstruction she’d had the year before. Examination wasn't particularly abnormal. CT Abdomen showed distended loops of small bowel, in keeping with partial bowel obstruction. Treated conservatively.

Assessment

Despite having diarrhoea she had a a partial bowel obstruction.

Recommendation

If you think your patient could have a bowel obstruction but cant work out why they’d have diarrhoea: be aware that it could be a a partial bowel obstruction.



PLEASE DO NOT INCLUDE ANY PATIENT IDENTIFIABLE DATA OR GEO-LOCATION DATA IN THE SUBMISSION OR IN ANY ATTACHED IMAGES

Emergency Cases Northwest Group