A Case Suspected of Delayed Post-Traumatic Stenosis of the Small Bowel

A 78-year-old man seen for abdominal contusions sustained in a traffic accident and treated conservatively developed repeated intestinal obstruction. Laparoscopic surgery showed a divided band obstructing the small bowel. After surgery and discharge, recurrent intestinal obstruction necessitated further open laparotomy 77days after the first laparotomy. Intraoperative exploration found small-bowel stenosis near the previous band, which was resected. Because laparoscopy does not necessarily enable thorough observation of the entire small bowel, post traumatic stenosis of the small bowel has been reported to cause intestinal obstruction after blunt abdominal trauma. Care must therefore be taken in laparoscopy for post traumatic small-bowel obstruction.