Laparoscopic treatment of acute small bowel obstruction: A multicentre retrospective study

Background: Laparoscopic surgery is thought to promote early recovery and quicker return to bowel function. The objective was to evaluate the rate and predictive factors of success, the causes of failure, the morbidity, and mortality during and after hospitalization, as well as to determine whether laparoscopic treatment of acute small bowel obstruction offers the same benefits as for other laparoscopic procedures. Methods: The records of 308 patients with acute small bowel obstruction treated laparoscopically in 35 centres between 1 October 1988 and 30 September 1996 were retrospectively reviewed. Results: Treatment was implemented completely by laparoscopy (‘success’ group) in 168 patients (54.6%). Conversion to laparotomy (‘failure’ group) was required in 140 patients (45.4%; during the same operation in 126 patients and after a median delay of 4 days (range: 1–12 days) in 14 patients). There were significantly more successes in patients with a history of one or two surgical interventions than in those with more than two (56%vs 37%; P