CLINICAL AND SURGICAL DILEMMAS IN OCTOGENARIAN PATIENTS WITH SMALL BOWEL OBSTRUCTION.

BACKGROUND: Small bowel obstruction (SBO) is a major problem in emergencies. Comorbidities increase morbimortality, which is reflected in higher costs. There is a lack of Latin American evidence comparing the differences in postoperative results and costs associated with SBO management. AIMS: To compare the risk of surgical morbimortality and costs of SBO surgery treatment in patients older and younger than 80 years. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of patients diagnosed with SBO at the University of Chile Clinic Hospital from January 2014 to December 2017. Patients with any medical treatment were excluded. Parametric statistics were used (a 5% error was considered statistically significant, with a 95% confidence interval). RESULTS: A total of 218 patients were included, of which 18.8% aged 80 years and older. There were no differences in comorbidities between octogenarians and non-octogenarians. The most frequent etiologies were adhesions, hernias, and tumors. In octogenarian patients, there were significantly more complications (46.3 vs. 24.3%, p=0.007, p<0.050). There were no statistically significant differences in terms of surgical complications: 9.6% in <80 years and 14.6% in octogenarians (p=0.390, p>0.050). In medical complications, a statistically significant difference was evidenced with 22.5% in <80 years vs 39.0% in octogenarians (p=0.040, p<0.050). There were 20 reoperated patients: 30% octogenarians and 70% non-octogenarians without statistically significant differences (p=0.220, p>0.050). Regarding hospital stay, the average was significantly higher in octogenarians (17.4 vs. 11.0 days; p=0.005, p<0.050), and so were the costs, being USD 9,555 vs. USD 4,214 (p=0.013, p<0.050). CONCLUSIONS: Patients aged 80 years and older with surgical SBO treatment have a higher risk of medical complications, length of hospital stay, and associated costs compared to those younger.

[A case of small intestinal endometriosis with bowel obstruction and perforation].

A 47-year-old woman was referred to our hospital with recurring lower abdominal pain persisting for more than 2 weeks. Imaging modalities showed small bowel obstruction caused by a mass lesion in the terminal ileum. Despite undergoing fasting, rehydration, and decompression through an ileus tube, her symptoms persisted. Furthermore, the condition deteriorated on day 4, with the onset of her menstrual period. An emergency surgery was conducted on the 7th day after hospitalization. Surgical observations indicated severe stenosis around the ileocecal valve and ileal perforation approximately 40cm from the oral stricture. As a result, ileocecal resection was performed. Pathological examination revealed endometrial tissue infiltration through the mucosal lamina propria to the ileal subserosa. Thus, the patient was identified with intestinal endometriosis of the ileocecum. Endometriosis of the small bowel is an uncommon condition that eventually causes intractable bowel obstruction. Although preoperative diagnosis is considered challenging, intestinal endometriosis should be included in the differential diagnosis in cases of bowel obstruction in women of childbearing age.

Jejunal Diverticulosis Causing Small Intestinal Volvulus and Closed Loop Obstruction.

BACKGROUND Jejunal diverticulosis are false diverticula of the small bowel that form from outpouching of the mucosa and submucosa. They are pulsion diverticula that are often asymptomatic and can be found incidentally during surgery. In some instances, jejunal diverticula could result in intestinal obstruction. Small intestinal volvulus is an uncommon cause of small bowel obstruction that results in a closed loop obstruction and is an indication for emergent surgical intervention. CASE REPORT We report a case of an 84-year-old man who presented to the Emergency Department with abdominal pain and generalized weakness. A preoperative computerized tomographic scan demonstrated a closed loop small bowel obstruction with mesenteric swirling. The patient was taken for a diagnostic laparoscopy, which revealed extensive proximal jejunal diverticulosis and a volvulus of the involved jejunum. An exploratory laparotomy was warranted for safe detorsion of the small bowel and resection of the diseased segment. The small bowel was successfully detorsed, with resection of the involved jejunum. Intestinal continuity was established by a primary side-to-side anastomosis. CONCLUSIONS Jejunal diverticula have been reported in the literature as a cause of small bowel obstructions, and very few reports exist of concurrent small bowel volvulus. In very rare instances, both of these conditions can coexist. There should be prompt surgical intervention in all cases of closed loop small bowel obstructions to prevent intestinal ischemia, perforation, and sepsis.

Meckel's diverticulum is a rare cause of mechanical ileus in adults.

Meckel's diverticulum is the most common congenital gastrointestinal defect with a prevalence of 2%. It is mostly asymptomatic and it rarely causes acute abdomen in adults. In this case report, a 28-year-old male with no previous abdominal surgery presented with clinical symptoms of small bowel obstruction. Surgery revealed a Meckel's diverticulum adherent to the abdominal wall, causing internal herniation with small bowel obstruction. The diverticulum was openly resected and no post-operative complications occurred. Laparoscopy seems safe, and surgical removal of the symptomatic Meckel's diverticulum is recommended.

Systematic review protocol of aetiology of mechanical bowel obstruction in low-and-middle income countries: Has anything changed in the last two decades?

The aetiology of mechanical bowel obstruction exhibits significant variability based on geographical location and age. In high-income countries, postoperative adhesions and hernias are frequently cited as the primary causes, whereas in low- and middle-income countries (LMCIs), hernias take precedence. Speculation exists within the surgical community regarding whether this trend has evolved in LMCIs. To address this knowledge gap, our study aims to conduct a systematic review of existing literature, focusing on understanding the most prevalent causes of mechanical bowel obstruction in both pediatric and adult populations within LMCIs, providing valuable insights for surgical practice. This protocol was designed and written according to the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Protocol 2015 (PRISMA-P 2015) statement. However, the results of the systematic review will be reported following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) statement. We will consider studies published in English and French between 2002 and 2022 that reported on the aetiology of mechanical bowel obstruction in any age group in low- and middle-income countries. We will conduct a literature search using Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, CINAHL on EBSCO and Web of Science databases employing relevant subject headings, keywords and synonyms, which will be combined using Boolean operators to refine the search results. A hand search of references of retrieved literature will be conducted. The retrieved articles will be imported into Zotero for de-duplication. The resulting set of titles and abstracts will be uploaded to Rayyan (an AI-assisted online systematic review tool), where they will be double-checked to identify articles eligible for inclusion. Two independent reviewers will screen articles to be included and disagreement will be resolved by discussion or by a third reviewer as a tie-breaker. Also, data extraction will be done by one reviewer and confirmed by another. Critical appraisal to assess the quality of the included studies will be carried out by two independent reviewers using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) tools. We anticipate that the eligible studies will be quite heterogeneous in terms of their design, outcomes of interest, populations and comorbidities. Therefore, resmay be synthesised descriptively without meta-analysis using charts, graphs and tables. Where possible, we will conduct a sub-analysis using conceptual frameworks based on age, WHO regions and continents.

[Wilkie syndrome as a diagnostic challenge in intestinal obstruction: case report]. / Síndrome de Wilkie como reto diagnóstico en obstrucción intestinal: reporte de caso.

Wilkie syndrome is a rare pathology that generates intestinal obstruction due to a decrease of the aortomesenteric angle compromising the third portion of the duodenum. We describe a case of an 18-year-old female patient, diagnosed with Wilkie syndrome, with clinical symptoms of intestinal obstruction and weight loss. The diagnosis was made with abdominal CT. Wilkie syndrome is a rare pathology, which becomes a diagnostic challenge because it presents a similar picture to other more common pathologies. We recommend that it should be suspected in the presence of duodenal obstruction.

[Gallstone ileus as a cause of mechanical intestinal obstruction: a case report]. / íleo biliar como causa de obstrucción intestinal mecánica: reporte de un caso.

Biliary ileus is a mechanical intestinal obstruction characterized by symptoms such as abdominal pain, jaundice and fever. The treatment of choice in these cases is associated with a surgical approach according to the clinical condition of the patient. It is important to study this pathology since its timely diagnosis and treatment are essential to avoid serious complications associated with high morbidity and mortality. This article describes a case related to biliary ileus.

Focused abdominal ultrasound.

A focused point-of-care abdominal ultrasound is an examination performed at the patient's location and interpreted within the clinical context. This review gives an overview of this examination modality. The objective is to rapidly address predefined dichotomised questions about the presence of an abdominal aortic aneurysm, gallstones, cholecystitis, hydronephrosis, urinary retention, free intraperitoneal fluid, and small bowel obstruction. FAUS is a valuable tool for emergency physicians to promptly confirm various conditions upon the patients' arrival, thus reducing the time to diagnosis and in some cases eliminating the need for other imaging.

The Role of Palliative Surgery in the Management of Acute Intestinal Obstruction Secondary to Peritoneal Carcinomatosis.

Introduction: Acute intestinal obstruction secondary to extensive peritoneal carcinomatosis is an end stage event. The role of palliative surgery in these patients is debatable in view of the anticipated severe complications and its doubtful role in achieving adequate palliation. The primary objective of our study was to evaluate the feasibility and ability of patients to resume oral nutrition after palliative surgery for acute intestinal obstruction due to peritoneal carcinomatosis. Patients and Methods: It is an observational study in which we retrospectively reviewed the data from a prospectively maintained clinical database of 40 patients. The predefined pre- and intraoperative variables were obtained. The immediate outcome variables like postoperative complications, length of hospital stay, and mortality were analyzed. The short-term outcomes at 3 months in the form of survival, ability to resume enteral nutrition were analyzed. Results: Among the 40 patients 18 were males and 22 females. Ovarian cancer was the most common primary (27.5%) in the study. Twelve patients had acute intestinal obstruction as their first presentation without any past events and 25 (62.5%) patients had been operated on previously or received adjuvant systemic treatment. The palliative surgical option was technically feasible in 37 (93.5%) patients. The median length of hospitalization for the patients who were discharged was 10 days with a range of 6-18 days. Six (15%) patients died in the postoperative period. Severe post-operative complications were seen in 9 (26.4%) patients. Among the patients (n=34) discharged 26 (76.4%) were alive at 3 months. In those who were alive, 21 (80.7%) of them were on some form of oral nutrition at 3 months. Conclusion: Palliative surgery in patients with acute intestinal obstruction secondary to peritoneal carcinomatosis is feasible with acceptable morbidity and mortality. The enteral nutrition can be restored in the majority of these patients.

Factores asociados al desenlace en niños con mal rotación intestinal manejados en el Hospital Infantil de San Vicente Fundación, Medellín, Colombia / Factors associated with outcome in children with intestinal malrotation managed at the Hospital Infantil of San Vicente Fundación, Medellín, Colombia

Introducción. El intestino primitivo rota durante la vida embrionaria. Cuando ocurre de forma inadecuada aparece la malrotación intestinal que puede llevar a la obstrucción o al vólvulo del intestino medio. La incidencia disminuye con el aumento de la edad. La malrotación intestinal es una de las principales causas de complicaciones del tracto gastrointestinal en la edad pediátrica. Métodos. Estudio retrospectivo, observacional, transversal y analítico, de la experiencia durante 10 años en pacientes menores de 15 años con diagnóstico de malrotación intestinal, tratados en el Hospital Infantil de San Vicente Fundación, en Medellín, Colombia. Se buscó la asociación entre variables demográficas, clínicas e imagenológicas con los desenlaces. Resultados. Se obtuvieron 58 pacientes con malrotación intestinal, 65 % menores de 1 año. En 29,3 % de los pacientes se hizo el diagnóstico con la presentación clínica; los síntomas predominantes fueron distensión abdominal y emesis. En el 24,1 % se confirmó el diagnóstico con imágenes. Las variables con una diferencia estadísticamente significativa a favor de encontrar una malrotación complicada fueron choque séptico (OR=11,7), síndrome de respuesta inflamatoria sistémica (OR=8,4) y deshidratación (OR=5,18). Conclusiones. La malrotación intestinal tiene complicaciones como perforación, peritonitis, vólvulo e intestino corto. El vólvulo se acompaña de shock y sepsis, con mortalidad hasta del 50 %. Las imágenes diagnósticas son una ayuda, pero no se puede basar la conducta médica en estas porque ninguna imagen garantiza el diagnóstico definitivo. Los signos de alarma son poco específicos. En menores de un año con emesis, distensión y dolor abdominal se debe sospechar malrotación intestinal.

Introduction. The primitive intestine rotates during embryonic life. When it occurs inappropriately, intestinal malrotation appears, which can lead to obstruction or midgut volvulus. The incidence decreases when age increases. Intestinal malrotation is one of the main causes of complications of the gastrointestinal tract in pediatric age. Method. Retrospective, observational, cross-sectional and analytical study of the experience over 10 years in patients under 15 years of age with a diagnosis of intestinal malrotation, treated at Hospital Infantil of San Vicente Fundación, in Medellín, Colombia. The association between demographic, clinical and imaging variables with the outcomes was sought. Results. There were 58 patients with intestinal malrotation, 65% under one year of age. In 29.3% of patients, intestinal malrotation was diagnosed clinically. The predominant symptoms were abdominal distension and emesis. In 24.1% the diagnosis was confirmed with imaging. The variables with a statistically significant difference in favor of finding a complicated malrotation were septic shock (OR=11.7), systemic inflammatory response syndrome (OR-8.4), and dehydration (OR=5.18). Conclusions. Malrotation has complications such as perforation, peritonitis, volvulus, and short bowel. Volvulus is accompanied by shock and sepsis, with mortality of up to 50%. Diagnostic images are helpful, but medical conduct cannot be based on them because no image guarantees a definitive diagnosis. The warning signs are not very specific. In children under one year of age with emesis, distension and abdominal pain, intestinal malrotation should be suspected.

A Rare Case of Small Bowel Obstruction in a 15-Year-Old Girl: Internal Hernia Associated with Meckel's Diverticulum.

BACKGROUND Meckel's diverticulum is a congenital remnant of the omphalomesenteric duct and is the most common congenital gastrointestinal malformation. Most patients are asymptomatic, but a rare presentation is with subacute small bowel obstruction (SBO) due to herniation of bowel loops through an internal hernia formed by the Meckel's diverticulum and adjacent mesentery that forms an internal hernia. This report is of a 15-year-old girl presenting as an emergency with vomiting and small bowel obstruction due to an internal hernia associated with Meckel's diverticulum. CASE REPORT We present a case of a 15-year-old girl who presented to the Children's Emergency (CE) department with persistent vomiting and abdominal distension and tenderness. X-rays demonstrated dilated small bowel loops, prompting admission under Pediatric Surgery (PAS). A subsequent computed tomography (CT) scan was performed, which demonstrated multiple dilated small bowel loops, confirming SBO, and a blind-ending "C-shaped" bowel loop at the region of the terminal ileum. A diagnostic laparotomy was performed, which confirmed the presence of a Meckel's diverticulum. The tip of the Meckel's diverticulum was adherent to part of the small bowel mesentery, forming an internal hernia defect through which a loop of proximal ileum had herniated, resulting in SBO. She then underwent a laparoscopy-assisted transumbilical Meckel's diverticulectomy (LATUM). The patient recovered uneventfully and was discharged on the 4th postoperative day. CONCLUSIONS In children presenting with SBO, the possibility of Meckel's diverticulum as an etiology should be considered as a differential diagnosis. Early diagnosis and prompt intervention will improve clinical outcomes and avoid complications.

Cytomegalovirus colitis as intestinal obstruction in an immunocompetent adolescent: a case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Cytomegalovirus infection manifests varying clinical characteristics and severity in diverse populations with different immune statuses. The signs and symptoms of gastrointestinal involvement are nonspecific. Here, we present a case of cytomegalovirus colitis in an immunocompetent adolescent, which manifested as intestinal pseud-obstruction. CASE PRESENTATION: A 15-year-old man who had contracted novel coronavirus infection one month earlier was admitted to our hospital with fever, abdominal pain, and hematochezia. His abdomen was distended, and laboratory evaluation revealed a decrease in the blood count, an increase in inflammatory indicators and hepatic impairment. Imaging shows bowel wall thickening and dilatation of the colon. A diagnosis of intestinal infection combined with acute intestinal pseud-obstruction was made. Diarrhea persisted despite conservative treatment with empirical antibiotics. A colonoscopy was performed. Pathology confirmed cytomegalovirus infection. Ganciclovir therapy was initiated, and subsequent review showed a good recovery. CONCLUSIONS: The case was diagnosed as cytomegalovirus colitis. We reviewed the reports of 9 cases of bowel obstruction, including our own, and found that the majority of the adult patients were elderly with underlying disease. Clinical and endoscopic manifestations are typically nonspecific, and imaging shows typical signs of intestinal obstruction. The final diagnosis was confirmed by pathology. Most of them have a good prognosis. We suggest that cytomegalovirus colitis can also lead to intestinal obstruction and that viral reactivation in immunocompetent individuals may be associated with inflammatory conditions and viral coinfection, particularly with the novel coronavirus.

[Unformed conglomerate debilitating jejunal fistulas and their two-stage surgical treatment via posterolateral laparotomy]. / Nesformirovannye konglomeratnye istoshchayushchie toshchekishechnye svishchi i ikh dvukhetapnoe khirurgicheskoe lechenie iz zadnebokovogo laparotomnogo dostupa.

OBJECTIVE: To create a method of two-stage repair of high unformed conglomerate delimited debilitating jejunal fistulas via posterolateral laparotomy with low risk of surgical complications. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Methodology and treatment outcomes were analyzed in 37 patients with unformed conglomerate high debilitating delimited jejunal fistulas. Of these, 22 patients underwent one-stage treatment through 2 converging incisions and/or two-stage treatment through anterolateral access. They made up a control group. Fifteen patients in the main group underwent two-stage treatment via posterolateral left-sided laparotomy with unilateral disconnection of jejunum with fistula. In most patients of both groups, fistulas complicated surgery for acute adhesive intestinal obstruction. Topography of adhesions that caused acute intestinal obstruction in both groups was studied in 172 other patients. Identical jejunal fistulas and two different surgical approaches made it possible to consider our groups representative. RESULTS: Two-stage treatment via posterolateral left-sided laparotomy reduced mortality from 63.6±10.2% to 20.0±10.3% (t=11.8; p<0.001). This approach simplified intraoperative diagnostics that became more informative. Posterolateral access increased the quality of anastomosis and safety of viscerolysis. CONCLUSION: A new two-stage approach with posterolateral left-sided laparotomy allowed atraumatic imposing of inter-intestinal anastomosis with proximal disconnection of jejunal fistula. This exclusion turns the fistula into analogue of the definitive Meidl's jejunostomy, unloads the intestinal anastomosis and increases the quality of suture. New strategy reduced the risk of complications and mortality.

Intestinal obstruction as a result of intra-abdominal hematoma: a complication of low molecular weight heparin in pediatric patients. / Obstrucción intestinal por hematoma intraabdominal: una complicación de la heparina de bajo peso molecular en el paciente pediátrico.

INTRODUCTION: Hematomas are a rare cause of intestinal obstruction. Subcutaneous heparin can bring about direct punctures on small bowel loops, potentially leading to traumatic hematoma and intestinal obstruction. CASE REPORTS: We present three cases of pediatric patients with clinical signs of intestinal obstruction treated with subcutaneous heparin. Two cases had increased acute-phase reactants and radiological signs of intestinal suffering, so surgical treatment was decided upon, with intramural hematoma emerging as an intraoperative finding. The third case was conservatively managed with anticoagulant discontinuation and gut rest, since the patient had an adequate general condition and no findings compatible with ischemia or necrosis were noted in the complementary tests. DISCUSSION: The administration of subcutaneous heparin may cause intestinal wall hematomas due to its anticoagulating effect and to the risk of inadvertent punctures on small bowel loops.

INTRODUCCION: Los hematomas son una causa poco frecuente de obstrucción intestinal. La heparina subcutánea tiene riesgo de producir la punción directa de un asa intestinal, provocando un hematoma traumático que genere una obstrucción intestinal. CASOS CLINICOS: Se describen tres casos de pacientes pediátricos con clínica de obstrucción intestinal en tratamiento con heparina subcutánea. Dos casos presentaron elevación de reactantes de fase aguda y signos radiológicos de sufrimiento intestinal por lo que se optó por tratamiento quirúrgico, con el hallazgo intraoperatorio de hematoma intramural. El tercer caso fue manejado de manera conservadora con supresión de la anticoagulación y reposo intestinal, dado el adecuado estado general y ausencia de hallazgos compatibles con isquemia o necrosis en las pruebas complementarias. COMENTARIOS: La administración de heparina subcutánea puede provocar la aparición de hematomas de pared intestinal, tanto por su efecto anticoagulante, como por el riesgo de punción inadvertida de un asa intestinal.

Genome-wide analysis identifies MYH11 compound heterozygous variants leading to visceral myopathy corresponding to late-onset form of megacystis-microcolon-intestinal hypoperistalsis syndrome.

Megacystis-microcolon-hypoperistalsis-syndrome (MMIHS) is a rare and early-onset congenital disease characterized by massive abdominal distension due to a large non-obstructive bladder, a microcolon and decreased or absent intestinal peristalsis. While in most cases inheritance is autosomal dominant and associated with heterozygous variant in ACTG2 gene, an autosomal recessive transmission has also been described including pathogenic bialellic loss-of-function variants in MYH11. We report here a novel family with visceral myopathy related to MYH11 gene, confirmed by whole genome sequencing (WGS). WGS was performed in two siblings with unusual presentation of MMIHS and their two healthy parents. The 38 years-old brother had severe bladder dysfunction and intestinal obstruction, whereas the 30 years-old sister suffered from end-stage kidney disease with neurogenic bladder and recurrent sigmoid volvulus. WGS was completed by retrospective digestive pathological analyses. Compound heterozygous variants of MYH11 gene were identified, associating a deletion of 1.2 Mb encompassing MYH11 inherited from the father and an in-frame variant c.2578_2580del, p.Glu860del inherited from the mother. Pathology analyses of the colon and the rectum revealed structural changes which significance of which is discussed. Cardiac and vascular assessment of the mother was normal. This is the second report of a visceral myopathy corresponding to late-onset form of MMIHS related to compound heterozygosity in MYH11; with complete gene deletion and a hypomorphic allele in trans. The hypomorphic allele harbored by the mother raised the question of the risk of aortic disease in adults. This case shows the interest of WGS in deciphering complex phenotypes, allowing adapted diagnosis and genetic counselling.

Small bowel obstruction in adults, Ladd's band is an exceptional cause: a case report.

Malrotation of the gut is a congenital anomaly of foetal intestinal rotation and it's principally discovered in early childhood as acute intestinal obstruction. This condition is veritably rare and constantly silent in adults. Intestinal malrotation in adults is frequently asymptomatic and is diagnosed as a casual finding during a radiological examination performed for other reasons. Infrequently, it can be diagnosed in adults, associated with an acute abdomen. Adult patients rarely present with acute midgut volvulus or internal hernias caused by Ladd's bands. We present a case of an admitted 18-year-old female with a small bowel obstruction due to an intestinal volvulus complicating intestinal malrotation in the presence of Ladd's band. Laparotomic Ladd's procedure was performed successfully with division of Ladd's band, adhesiolysis, appendicectomy, and reorientation of the small bowel on the right and the cecum and colon on the left of the abdominal cavity; the postoperative evolution was favorable. Although it is a rare pathology, it should be kept in mind in cases of patients presenting small bowel obstruction.

Determining a multidisciplinary intraoperative strategy in emergency surgery for bowel obstruction and its impact on outcomes.

PURPOSE: Bowel obstruction accounts for around 50% of all emergency laparotomies. A multidisciplinary (MDT) standardized intraoperative model was applied (definitive, palliative, or damage control surgery) to identify patients suitable for a one-step, definitive surgical procedure favoring anastomosis over stoma, when undergoing surgery for bowel obstruction. The objective was to present mortality according to the strategy applied and to compare the rate of laparoscopic interventions and stoma creations to a historic cohort in surgery for bowel obstruction. METHODS: In a retrospective cohort study, we included patients undergoing emergency surgery for bowel obstruction during a 1-year period at two Copenhagen University Hospitals (2019 and 2021). The MDT model consisted of a 30- and 60-min time-out with variables such as functional and hemodynamic status, presence of malignancy, and surgical capabilities (lap/open). Pre-, intra-, and postoperative data were collected to investigate associations to postoperative complications and mortality. Stoma creation rates and laparoscopies were compared to a historic cohort (2009-2013). RESULTS: Three hundred sixty-nine patients underwent surgery for bowel obstruction. Intraoperative surgical strategy was definitive in 77.0%, palliative in 22.5%, and damage control surgery in 0.5%. Thirty-day mortality was significantly lower in the definitive patient population (4.6%) compared to the palliative population (21.7%) (p < 0.000). Compared to the historic cohort, laparoscopic surgery for bowel obstruction increased from 5.0 to 26.4% during the 10-year time span, the rate of stoma placements was reduced from 12.0 to 6.1%, p 0.014, and the 30-day mortality decreased from 12.9 to 4.6%, p < 0.000. CONCLUSION: An intraoperative improvement strategy can address the specific surgical interventions in patients undergoing surgery for bowel obstruction, favoring anastomosis over stoma whenever resection was needed, and help adjust specific postoperative interventions and care pathways in cases of palliative need.