Clinical factors associated with intestinal strangulating obstruction and recurrence in adhesive small bowel obstruction: A retrospective study of 288 cases

Postoperative adhesions are a common cause of adhesive small bowel obstruction (ASBO), and recognition of intestinal strangulation is important. The aim of this study is to analyze the clinical factors for strangulating obstruction and to identify the predictors for recurrence of ASBO. A retrospective study was conducted using the database in our department. Patients with ASBO from January 2013 to April 2016 were included in the study and were subject to follow-up. The clinical factors associated with strangulating obstruction and recurrence after treatment were analyzed by using univariate and multivariate logistic regression model. In total, 288 ASBO patients were included in the study. Of these, 37 (12.9%) patients had occurred strangulating obstructions, and 251 (87.1%) patients had simple obstructions. Four clinical parameters, including increasing heart rate (>100 bpm), increasing WBC count (>15 × 10(9)/L), CT findings of thickening or swelling of the mesentery, and CT showing seroperitoneum were detected as independent clinical factors for intestinal strangulation. Eighty-four (29.2%) patients experienced recurrence of obstruction during the median 24 months of follow-up. Recurrence rates were reduced in patients who underwent surgical treatment compared with those who received conservative management [21.3% (26/122) vs 34.9% (58/166) (P = .010)]. Nevertheless, the recurrence rates were not significantly increased in patients with strangulating obstructions compared with those with simple ASBO [34.3% (12/35) vs 27.7% (72/253) (P = .186)]. Four clinical parameters including tachycardia, leukocytosis, along with CT findings of thickening or swelling of the mesentery and CT showing seroperitoneum, associated with occurrence of intestinal strangulation in ASBO. ASBO patients who underwent surgical treatment had a reduced recurrence rate, but ASBO patients with strangulating obstructions had not increase the recurrence rates than those of patients with simple ASBO.