Sonographic detection of visceral adhesion in percutaneous drainage of afferent-loop small-intestine obstruction

To facilitate the percutaneous drainage of an afferent‐loop small‐intestine obstruction, we used sonography to detect visceral adhesions and select a safe puncture route. The portion of the small intestine that was fixed to the anterior abdominal wall was sonographically identified by using a high‐frequency transducer to locate the area of restricted visceral sliding. The needle was then inserted into the intestine. In 3 cases, we have found that this technique improves the confidence of the physicians who perform the percutaneous drainage and may help to minimize the risks associated with the percutaneous drainage. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 28:133–136, 2000.