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Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis is a rare and usually benign condition in which multiple thin-walled cysts develop in the submucosa or subserosa of the gastrointestinal tract. While usually asymptomatic, severe cases can result in pneumoperitoneum, which can be managed surgically or medically depending on circumstances. A 35-year-old male patient presented with signs and symptoms of intestinal obstruction. Then the patient was diagnosed with pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis. The patient underwent surgery, and antibiotic treatment, and was discharged improved with no incident. Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis is a surgical condition that resembles other life-threatening top surgical emergencies and affects clinicians' decisions on diagnosis and treatment plans substantially, mainly in low-income countries. So, surgeons have to consider such kind of conditions and avoid the costs and morbidities associated with unnecessary bowel resection or surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Colonic volvulus is an unusual cause of intestinal obstruction in pregnant women. Cecal volvulus, second only to sigmoid volvulus, accounts for 1– 2% of all cases of intestinal obstruction. Due to its infrequent occurrence, only a few articles have documented its diagnosis and management among pregnant women, and we assume this to be the first reported case in Ethiopia, as per the authors' knowledge.Case Presentation: A 26-year-old Gravida 3, Para 2 mother who has had amenorrhea for the last five months presents with a complaint of upper abdominal cramps with associated vomiting, which is bilious, upper abdominal distension, and obstipation of five-hour duration. Her vital signs were in the normal range, and she had upper abdominal tenderness. Plain abdominal radiography suggested a cecal volvulus and exploratory laparotomy, a right hemicolectomy, and end-to-side ileotransverse colon anastomosis was performed. The postoperative course was uneventful.Discussion: The cecal volvulus is an axial twist of the cecum, segment of the terminal ileum, and ascending colon along its mesentery, resulting in closed-loop obstruction with early vascular compromise and ischemia. It requires an anatomic prerequisite, which makes the cecum hypermobile, unlike the sigmoid volvulus. Diagnosis is challenging in pregnant women, as there are many differential diagnoses and a reluctance to request radiological imaging.Conclusion: A high index of suspicion is of paramount importance whenever a pregnant woman comes with a complaint of persistent abdominal cramps and obstipation. Early diagnosis and management are crucial to improve patients' outcome. Plain abdominal radiography is the safest option of imaging modality in low-resource areas where magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is not available during pregnancy whenever intestinal obstruction is considered. Right hemicolectomy is the preferred surgical option. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Globally, bowel obstruction is the most common cause of surgical emergencies. It remains a challenge to healthcare workers in spite of improvements in management techniques. There is a lack of the study to determine the surgical management outcome and its associated factors in the area of study. Hence, this study aimed to determine management outcome and its associated factors among surgically treated intestinal obstruction patients at Wollega University Referral Hospital, 2021. Methods: Facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted among all cases surgically managed for intestinal obstruction between September 1, 2018 and September 1, 2021. Data were collected using a structured checklist. The collected data were checked for completeness and entered into data entry software and then exported to SPSS version 24 for data cleaning and analysis. Both bi-variable and multivariable logistic regressions were run. P-value < 0.05 was used to declare a statistically significant association in multivariable logistic regression. The odds ratio along with 95%CI was estimated to measure the strength of the association. Result: 116 (59.2%) patients had favorable surgical management outcome for intestinal obstruction. Male sex (AOR = 3.694;95%CI:1.501,9.089), absence of fever (AOR = 2.636; 95%CI:1.124,6.18), ≤ 48 h duration of illness before operation (AOR = 3.045; 95%CI:1.399,6.629), viable intraoperative bowel condition (AOR = 2.372; 95%CI:1.088, 5.175), having bowel resection and anastomosis (AOR = 0.234; 95%CI:0.101,0.544) were the significantly associated factors of the favorable surgical management outcome for intestinal obstruction. Conclusion and recommendation: The favorable management outcome of patients with intestinal obstruction who were treated surgically in this study was low. Factors like sex, fever, short duration of illness, viable intraoperative bowel condition, and bowel resection and anastomosis were found to influence the surgical management outcome of patients with intestinal obstruction. The patient with intestinal obstruction should seek health care on time. Health professionals have to be skilled and provide appropriate care for the patients to reduce the risk of complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Unless an emergency surgical intervention is conducted, intestinal obstruction may result in high morbidity and mortality. In Ethiopia, the magnitude and predictors of unfavorable management outcomes in surgically treated patients with intestinal obstruction are highly variable and inconsistent. The aim of this study was; therefore, to estimate the overall prevalence of unfavorable management outcome and its predictors among surgically treated patients with intestinal obstruction in Ethiopia. Method: We searched articles from databases from June 1, 2022, to August 30, 2022. Cochrane Q test statistics and I2 tests were applied. We used a random-effect meta-analysis model to overcome the impact of heterogeneity among the included studies. In addition, the association between risk factors and unfavorable management outcome in surgically treated patients with intestinal obstruction was investigated. Results: This study included a total of twelve articles. The pooled prevalence of unfavorable management outcome in surgically treated patients with intestinal obstruction was 20.22% (95% CI: 17.48–22.96). According to a sub-group analysis by region, Tigray region had the highest prevalence of poor management outcome, which was 25.78% (95% CI: 15.69–35.87). Surgical site infection was the most commonly reported symptom of poor management outcome (8.63%; 95% CI: 5.62, 11.64). The length of postoperative hospital stays (95% CI: 3.02, 29.08), duration of illness (95% CI: 2.44, 6.12), presence of comorbidity (95% CI: 2.38, 10.11), dehydration (95% CI: 2.07, 17.40), and type of intraoperative procedure (95% CI: 2.12, 6.97) were all significantly associated with unfavorable management outcome of intestinal obstruction among surgically treated patients in Ethiopia. Conclusion: According to this study, the magnitude of unfavorable management outcome was high among surgically treated patients in Ethiopia. Unfavorable management outcome was significantly associated with the length of postoperative hospital stays, duration of illness, comorbidity, dehydration, and type of intraoperative procedure. Medical, surgical and public health measures are pivotal to reduce unfavorable management outcome in surgically treated intestinal obstruction patients in Ethiopia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obturator hernia, protrusion of abdominal content through the obturator foramen, is a rare type of abdominal wall hernia. Late patient presentation is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. We present rare case of obturator hernia causing small bowel obstruction in a 65-year-old-female patient. She presented with crampy abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting of three days duration. She was diagnosed with acute surgical abdomen and managed surgically at Arsi University College of health sciences, Assela, Ethiopia. Intraoperative finding revealed left-side obturator hernia, which is an extremely rare occurrence. Despite delayed presentation, our patient had smooth postoperative recovery. Obturator hernia is exceedingly rare, and it poses a diagnostic challenge as signs and symptoms are often nonspecific, making a preoperative diagnosis difficult. So, it should be considered as differential diagnosis in elderly patients presenting with acute surgical abdomen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite advances in non-invasive radiological techniques for the treatment of intussusception, management of the entity still remains exclusively surgical in many developing countries, including Ethiopia. Fluoroscopic units are rare or mostly dysfunctional. Ultrasound scanners are more commonly available. Ultrasound-guided hydrostatic reduction (USGHR) was recently introduced to the main referral hospital in Ethiopia, and subsequently has been adopted as the initial management option for intussusception.Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate our experience with USGHR in Ethiopia and measure the impact on patient care.Methods: A prospective study was conducted between July 2014 and August 2015 on all pediatric patients, with US-confirmed intussusception, at the Tikur Anbessa Specialized Teaching Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. All patients, excluding those with signs of peritonitis, bowel ischemia, or symptoms lasting longer than 4 days, were selected to undergo USGHR.Results: A total of 53 children were diagnosed with intussusception, confirmed via ultrasound. Following exclusion criteria, USGHR was attempted in 47 of the patients. Forty-one of the 47 patients (87.2%) had successful reduction, resulting in a 77% overall rate of successful non-operative management in all patients with intussusception.Conclusion: The rate of operative reduction of intussusception decreased by 77% following the introduction of USGHR as the initial non-surgical intervention. Therefore, we believe USGHR should be fully implemented in our hospital, and recommend that this study serves as an example to other institutions in our country as well as in other developing countries facing similar challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In Africa, acute intestinal obstruction accounts for a great proportion of morbidity and mortality. Ethiopia is one of the countries where intestinal obstruction is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. This study aims to determine prevalence, causes and management outcome of intestinal obstruction in Adama Hospital in Oromia region, Ethiopia.Method: A hospital based cross-sectional study design was used. Data covering the past three years were collected from hospital medical records of sampled patients. The collected data were checked for any inconsistency, coded and entered into SPSS version 16.0 for data processing and analysis. Descriptive and logistic regression analyses were used. Statistical significance was based on confidence interval (CI) of 95 % at a p-value of < 0.05.Result: 262 patients were admitted with intestinal obstruction. The prevalence of intestinal obstruction was 21.8 % and 4.8 % among patients admitted for acute abdomen surgery and total surgical admissions, respectively. The mortality rate was 2.5 % (6 of 262). The most common cause of small bowel obstruction was intussusceptions in 48 patients (30.9 %), followed by small bowel volvulus in 47 patients (30.3 %). Large bowel obstruction was caused by sigmoid volvulus in 60 patients (69.0 %) followed by colonic tumor in 12 patients (13.8 %). After controlling for possible confounding factors, the major predictors of management outcome of intestinal obstruction were: duration of illness before surgical intervention (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.49, 95 % CI: 0.25-0.97); intra-operative findings [Viable small bowel volvulus (SBV) (AOR = 0.08, 95 % CI: 0.01-0.95) and viable (AOR = 0.17, 95 % CI: 0.03-0.88)]; completion of intra-operative procedures (bowel resection & anastomosis (AOR = 3.05, 95 % CI: 1.04-8.94); and length of hospital stay (AOR = 0.05, 95 % CI: 0.01-0.16).Conclusion: Small bowel obstruction was more prevalent than large bowel obstruction. Intussusceptions and sigmoid volvulus were the leading causes of small and large bowel obstruction. Laparotomy was the most common methods of intestinal obstruction management. Bowel resection and anastomosis was the commonest intra-operative procedure done and is associated with postoperative complications. Wound infection in the affected area should be improved because it is the most common postoperative complication. This can be decreased by appropriate surgical technique and wound care with sterile techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gossypiboma or Retained Surgical Sponge (RSS) is not an ordinarily encountered occurrence. It is most often reported less for fear of its medico-legal implications and possible unfavorable exposure. Here we report the first ever published case in Ethiopia of a transmural migration of a RSS causing small intestinal obstruction. The 38 year old patient presented with signs and symptoms of intestinal obstruction nine months following a Caesarian Section. Confirmation of a RSS as the cause of the obstruction was made only at surgery. Right hemi- colectomy with ileotransverse anastomosis was done as the distal ileum containing the RSS was gangrenous. The patient had an uneventful stay in the hospital and was discharged in a stable condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Procedures to treat intestinal obstruction range from minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery to more complicated open surgical procedures. It may end with high morbidity and mortality because of different reasons. It is very important to know about the determinants of favorable outcome of surgical management for intestinal obstruction however, little is known about this problem at public hospitals of Southern Ethiopia., Methods: Facility based cross sectional study was conducted. A total of 230 medical records which fulfill the inclusion criteria were used for this study. Variables with p value of less than 0.25 in the bivariate analysis were entered in multivariable logistic regression to control confounding. Finally, odds ratio with 95% confidence interval was used to identify variables which were significantly associated with dependent variable., Results: According to this study the magnitude of favorable surgical management outcome of intestinal obstruction was 177(77.0%) [95% CI, 71.4, 82.4]. Having small bowel obstruction (AOR = 2.49) [95% CI 1.91, 5.12], having simple bowel obstruction (AOR = 4.32) [95% CI, 2.00, 9.35], early presentation of patients (AOR = 4.44) [95% CI, 1.99, 9.92] and intraoperative procedure other than resection and anastomosis was performed (AOR = 0.45) [95% CI, 0.21, 0.96] were significantly associated with favorable outcome among surgically treated patients., Conclusion: The overall magnitude of favorable surgical management outcome of intestinal obstruction was moderate compared to other study. Having small bowel obstruction, having simple bowel obstruction, other procedure other than resection and anastomosis done, and early presentation of patients were significant predictors. Physicians should diagnose intestinal obstruction early and appropriate interventions should be taken on time before the complication happened. On time consultation and decision at the hospital setting is also recommended., (© 2022. The Author(s).)