FREQUENCY OF ADHESIVE INTESTINAL OBSTRUCTION IN POST LAPAROTOMY PATIENTS

Objective: This study aimed to determine the frequency of adhesive intestinal obstruction (AIO) in post-laparotomy patients and assess its association with various clinical and demographic factors. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of General Surgery, Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar, from 25 June 2024 to 25 Dec, 2024. A total of 106 patients aged 17 to 80 years who presented with clinical features of intestinal obstruction and had a history of previous laparotomy were included using consecutive non-probability sampling. Data on demographic details, presenting complaints, type of past surgery, comorbid conditions, and management outcomes were collected. The diagnosis of AIO was made based on clinical assessment and radiological findings. Descriptive statistics were applied using SPSS version 21.0, and the Chi-square test was used to assess associations between AIO and various factors, with a p-value of <0.05 considered significant. Results: The mean age of the participants was 49.73 ± 19.49 years, and 61.3% were male. The most common presenting complaint was abdominal pain (27.4%). Laparoscopic surgery was performed in 52.8% of cases, while 47.2% had open surgeries. AIO was identified in 4.7% of patients. Hypertension, diabetes, and cardiac disease were present in 24.5%, 15.1%, and 13.2% of cases, respectively. No significant association was found between AIO and gender, hypertension, diabetes, or cardiac disease (p > 0.05). Conclusions: The frequency of AIO in post-laparotomy patients was low. No statistically significant association was observed between AIO and comorbid conditions.