need help QUICK!! bowel obstruction? - Bowel Disorders Message Board

canadave · 05-12-2006, 12:13 PM

Hi all,

In about four hours I'm running to the hospital to join my wife. Her mother was admitted yesterday with what appeared to be bowel obstruction symptoms (she had to have surgery a year or so ago, after she almost died because of an adhesion that had developed after a hysterectomy--she's 73 years old).

They've run some tests (ultrasound, X-ray, etc) on her bowel, and they can't see any obstruction or adhesion this time. When my wife called me this morning, she said the doctor told her sister that although there's no visible cause of an obstruction (twisting, blockage, etc), blood is apparently being cut off from flowing to the bowel.

The scary part is, the doctors apparently don't know what to do in this case.

Has anyone out there had any experience with something like this, even with someone in their families? What's the next step from here? I'm doing research myself right now online, and I'm going to go to the hospital with as much information as I can dig up. Any help from this board would be DEEPLY, DEEPLY appreciated....

Thanks,
Dave

Mari526 · 05-13-2006, 11:56 AM

Dave,
sorry to hear about your mother-in-law's health problems. I would think that if blood flow is obstructed they will probably want to do an ostomy.Alot of the decision will be determined by what area is affected. They may be able to remove the portion where the blood flow is impeded and do a resection. How is her bloodwork? Is she receiving transfusions?

Harry · 05-13-2006, 11:18 PM

Hi Dave,
Such a condition usually needs surgery to remove the section of colon that is impacted. In the USA they normally try to relieve the impaction before surgery but in the UK a resection is done without emptying the intestine.

There was a member that lived in the UK that had a resection this year-- w/o doing the gastric prep--- she made out OK.

I wish your wife's Mother well~~~Harry

daisy01 · 05-14-2006, 03:38 AM

Hiya dave, let us know how your mother-in-law got on. Hope all has gone well
thinking of you and your family