What is ileus

An ileus can occur for a variety of reasons, including having recent abdominal surgery and having a disease or condition of the digestive tract.

During abdominal surgery, anesthetics and painkillers are often used to manage discomfort. This is appropriate medical care to manage pain during and after an operation but these medications especially narcotics can have the side effect of slowing down the digestive process. After surgery, ileus is normal and patients are monitored closely to ensure that it resolves. Some of the common medications that are associated with the risk of ileus include:. There are several conditions that are associated with an increased risk of developing an ileus.

The conditions that can be associated with ileus are:. In children, a condition where the bowel slides in on itself like a collapsing telescope, called intussusception , can cause an ileus.

Most ileus symptoms occur in the digestive system. Outwardly, the abdomen might look full and swollen. The biggest risk factor for ileus is having abdominal surgery. Older adults may especially be at risk because they tend to receive more medications and may have other risk factors also. Some of the other risk factors for developing an ileus include:. A physician may use a physical exam and one or more different imaging tests to diagnose an ileus.

When there is a history of recent abdominal surgery or some of the other risk factors, as well as symptoms, a physician may suspect an ileus. A physical exam will include a look at the abdomen to see if it is swollen or distended. A normally functioning bowel will make certain sounds that can be heard with a stethoscope.

An ileus may cause either a lack of healthy bowel sounds or an excess of them that can be heard through the stethoscope. A plain X-ray of the abdomen may show certain characteristics of an ileus such as excess gas or an obstruction.

This is usually the first test done when diagnosing a possible ileus. This test is helpful in quickly looking for patterns of gas in the bowel that can help doctors make a prompt diagnosis of ileus in some patients. A patient will lie on a table and an X-ray machine will be positioned over the abdomen to take the images.

A CT scan is a type of X-ray that provides a cross-sectional view of the abdomen. Patients lie on an exam table that slides into a hole in the middle of the CT machine in order for images of the abdomen to be captured. Contrast dye is usually given through an IV so that the structures in the abdomen can be seen more clearly. This test may help in finding the location of the ileus. In many cases, the treatment will depend on the seriousness of the ileus and if the lack of peristalsis has resulted in creating a partial or complete obstruction.

In a partial obstruction, some material may be still passing through the bowel, but in a complete obstruction, nothing can get through.

To effectively treat an ileus, it is helpful to understand any underlying causes. An ileus is treated in the hospital, especially when necessary to receive fluids by IV. Other medications that speed up the bowel increase motility might be given to counteract the lack of peristalsis that's causing the ileus. A nasogastric NG tube may be placed into the nose and down into the stomach to release pressure in the bowel and to remove gas or fluids and stop vomiting. If there is an obstruction caused by the ileus, other treatments may also be necessary.

Treatment of ileus involves continuous nasogastric suction, nothing by mouth, IV fluids and electrolytes, a minimal amount of sedatives, and avoidance of opioids and anticholinergic drugs. Sometimes colonic ileus can be relieved by colonoscopic decompression; rarely, cecostomy is required.

Colonoscopic decompression is helpful in treating pseudo-obstruction Ogilvie syndrome , which consists of apparent obstruction at the splenic flexure, although no cause can be found by contrast enema or colonoscopy for the failure of gas and feces to pass this point. Some clinicians use IV neostigmine which requires cardiac monitoring to treat Ogilvie syndrome.

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Symptoms and Signs. Key Points. Acute Abdomen and Surgical Gastroenterology. Test your knowledge. Which of the following is the most common site of foreign body impaction subsequent to ingestion? More Content. Click here for Patient Education. The most common cause of ileus is. Abdominal surgery.

Drugs eg, opioids, anticholinergics, sometimes calcium channel blockers. Clinical evaluation. Aging also naturally slows down how fast the intestines move. An older adult is at greater risk for ileus, especially since they tend to take more medications that could potentially slow the movement of material through the intestines. However, some conditions may cause a physical blockage, or mechanical obstruction, of the intestines.

Necrosis is the untimely death of cells or tissue. It can happen when an obstruction cuts off the blood supply to the intestine.

Without blood, oxygen cannot get to the tissue, causing it to die. Dead tissue weakens the intestinal wall, making it easy for the intestine to tear and leak bowel contents. This is known as a bowel perforation. A bowel perforation due to necrosis can cause peritonitis. This is a serious inflammation in the abdominal cavity caused by bacteria or fungus. Your bowel contains many bacteria, like E.

The bacteria are supposed to remain in your intestines, not roam free in your body cavity. Bacterial peritonitis can turn into sepsis , a life threatening condition that can result in shock and organ failure. Most of the risk factors associated with an ileus, such as injury or chronic illness, are not preventable.

However, it should not keep you from having needed surgery. Being aware of the symptoms of an ileus is important in seeking prompt treatment to keep it from getting worse. Seeking medical care as soon as possible is important so the ileus can potentially be resolved without invasive medical treatment. If your intestine becomes blocked, fluid and digested food can't pass through. Learn more about bowel obstructions and intestinal blockages here.

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Here's how to tell the…. Gastrointestinal perforation GP occurs when a hole forms all the way through the stomach, large bowel, or small intestine. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Medically reviewed by Deborah Weatherspoon, Ph. Causes Treatments Symptoms Diagnosis Risk factors vs. It can occur as a side effect after surgery.

However, there are other causes of this condition. What are the causes of an ileus? How is an ileus treated? What are the symptoms of an ileus?