Abdominal Instillation of Crystalloid Fluid Decreases the Recurrence of Adhesive Small Bowel Obstruction

Peritoneal adhesion is a common cause of small bowel obstruction (SBO). In this study, we included 40 adult patients who had SBO, or partial obstructive symptoms. In the abdominal instillation of crystalloid fluid (AICF) cohort, 16 patients underwent lysis of adhesions and abdominal crystalloid fluid instillation at the end of the procedure. In the control (CO) group, 24 patients received lysis of adhesions without fluid instillation. AICF was achieved by the abdominal instillation of 1864 ± 97.5 mL of crystalloid fluid. We analyzed the recurrence of peritoneal adhesions resulting in reoperation for SBO within the 64.3 ± 9.15 months of follow-up time for the CO and the 70.5 ± 13.16-month follow-up for the AICF group. The AICF group had a lower SBO recurrence rate of 12.5% compared to the CO group’s 41.6% rate (P = .049). Taken together, AICF decreased the recurrence of SBO requiring reoperation secondary to adhesion formation compared to the lysis of adhesions alone, as seen in the CO group.