Case series of small bowel obstruction

Introduction: Small Bowel Obstruction remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality, accounting for 12%-16% of hospital admissions for acute abdominal pain in the United States. Imaging typically provides insights into the degree of obstruction, its cause, and whether the case is severe or complicated. This study aimed to examine cases of small bowel obstruction, encompassing patient complaints, radiological findings, and prognosis. Case description: The first case involves a 51-year-old male patient presenting with complaints of abdominal bloating for the past week. Physical examination and additional diagnostic tests indicated the patient was experiencing either partial ileus obstruction or total ileus obstruction, with total bowel obstruction suspected to be of malignant origin. The patient was treated in the ICU for two days, and then transferred to a general ward for five days before passing away. The second case involves a 57-year-old female patient presenting with complaints of epigastric pain for the past three days. Physical examination and additional diagnostic tests revealed either partial ileus obstruction or total ileus obstruction, with total bowel obstruction suspected to be of malignant origin. The patient was treated in the ICU for three days, followed by six days in a general ward. The patient showed significant improvement and was discharged with a recommendation for outpatient follow-up care at the polyclinic. Conclusion: Both cases presented here demonstrated the presence of obstruction through clinical history, physical examination, laboratory findings, and radiology. Initial management was conservative, followed by laparotomy as the surgical approach.