Introduction
Treatment for intestinal obstruction depends on the cause, the age of the person affected, the time of diagnosis and the current condition of the person. There are basically two directions in the treatment. On the one hand, a conservative therapy, i.e. waiting and the administration of medication, can be attempted.
The other option is surgical treatment of the intestinal obstruction. The possibilities must be planned individually and adapted to the affected person. Only in acute cases can emergency surgery be necessary immediately.
Conservative therapy
A purely conservative therapy is usually only possible for paralyzed intestines. Doctors refer to this as a paralytic ileus. In the acute phase, it is sometimes necessary to aspirate the accumulated intestinal contents in order to relieve the gastrointestinal tract.
For this purpose, a stomach tube is inserted into the affected person. Afterwards, a number of different drugs can be used. So-called prokinetics can increase the intestinal movements and thus enable further transport of the food pulp.
Spasmolytics relieve the cramps and have an analgesic effect. Pure painkillers can also be given additionally for this purpose. Furthermore, an antibiotic therapy is often necessary because a large number of microorganisms live in the intestine.
If these get to other places in the body, they can cause severe infections and inflammations. Antibiotics attack these bacteria. In addition to drug therapy, attention must also be paid to balancing the salt and water balance, which is why those affected often receive infusions.
A swivel enema can also help the affected person. The intestine is flushed through this enema and the remains of stool are removed. An intestinal obstruction can be partially prevented by a balanced diet.
However, complete protection does not exist. As with healthy people, a sufficient water supply should be ensured in the diet. However, alcohol and acidic juices should be avoided, as they can additionally irritate the intestine.
With a solid diet, the distribution throughout the day is particularly important. Affected persons should eat many small meals and not overload the body with large quantities. The food should be swallowed slowly and well chewed.
Avoiding grains, seeds and nuts, as well as fruit containing fibres, can also have a preventive effect. Fruit and vegetables can also be eaten without their skin. Furthermore, strongly flatulent foods should be avoided.
A diet rich in fibre for prevention, but a diet low in fibre after an intestinal obstruction is advisable. An exact nutrition plan should always be discussed with the treating physician, as other diseases also require a specific diet and all individual aspects must be taken into account. A combination of several drugs is used to treat intestinal obstruction.
The first group are prokinetics or also antiemetics. These are drugs that increase the forward movement of the intestinal muscles and prevent vomiting. Examples are cholinergics such as carbachol and dopamine receptor antagonists such as domperidone.
The second group are spasmolytics. These are used to alleviate intestinal cramps and thus also have an analgesic effect. A well-known representative of this group is Buscopan®.
In addition to the antispasmodics, pure painkillers can also be used. It should be noted, however, that opioids can lead to further constipation. Novamine sulfone, which is known under the name Novalgin, is more suitable here.
Another important group of drugs are antibiotics. As there are many bacteria living in the intestine and these can cause peritonitis and blood poisoning if they pass through the intestinal wall, they must be stopped by the broadly effective antibiotics. A frequently underestimated medication is also the sodium chloride infusion, as it is necessary to balance the salt and water balance.
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