Small Bowel Obstruction Causes
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Causes of Small Bowel Obstruction
Bowel obstruction may be caused by a “mechanical” problem. In this case, something inside the body blocks the movement of material through the intestine.
Bowel obstruction can also be caused by an ileus, which is when the bowel itself does not work right. This nonmechanical type of obstruction is called Ileus , or pseudo-obstruction. It is often the cause of obstruction in infants and children.
“Mechanical” small bowel obstruction has many possible causes, including:
- Hiatal Hernia
- Scar tissue left behind by operations (adhesions)
- Gallstones (rarely)
- Crohn's Disease (an inflammatory bowel condition)
- Small bowel tumor
- Abnormal growth of tissue adjacent to the small bowel
- Folding in the wall of the intestine ( Intussusception )
- Twisted intestine (volvulus)
- Foreign bodies (items that were swallowed and got stuck)
Paralytic ileus may be caused by:
- Medications, especially narcotics
- Infection in the lining of the small bowel (eg, intestinal flu in older children)
- Decreased blood supply to the small bowel
- Abdominal, joint, or spine surgery
- Kidney disease
- Long-standing diabetes
© 2009 Nucleus Medical Media, Inc.
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