A Case of Recurrent Bowel Obstruction due to an Intra-Abdominal Band that was Diagnosed and Treated with Exploratory Laparoscopy

Abstract

We report herein on a case of a patient with recurrent bowel obstruction due to an intra-abdominal band who was diagnosed and treated with exploratory laparoscopy. The patient was a man in his 50s who had been diagnosed as having a bowel obstruction at another hospital 2 years prior with no apparent cause of the obstruction. He had recurrent symptoms of bowel obstruction, which resolved with fasting 1.5 years prior to the surgery. We performed detailed examinations but were unable to identify the cause of the obstruction, and the patient was being monitored on follow-up visits. Since the symptoms were recurrent, we performed exploratory laparoscopy. The examination revealed a band of adhesion from the greater omentum to the descending colon, and the distal part of the ileum was compressed by the band. We separated the band laparoscopically. Although the patient had prolonged intestinal paralysis postoperatively, this symptom improved with conservative management. The patient no longer experienced recurrent abdominal pain, and achieved stable oral intake. Our findings suggest that exploratory laparoscopy is an effective option for patients who present with recurrent abdominal pain of unknown cause as the procedure is minimally invasive and enables accurate diagnosis of treatable conditions in order to initiate appropriate treatments.