Small bowel obstruction in patients previously operated on for colorectal cancer

Objective: To find out the incidence, aetiology, and outcome of patients operated on for small bowel obstruction after previous operation for colorectal cancer.Design: Retrospective cohort study.Setting: District hospital serving a defined population, Norway.Subjects: 472 consecutive patients operated on for colorectal cancer, followed up for a median of 5.5 years (range 2.0-16.8) or until death; 351 had had a resection with curative intent, and 121 a palliative operation.Main outcome measures: Incidence and aetiology of small bowel obstruction, postoperative mortality, and long term survival.Results: Small bowel obstruction necessitated operation in 36/351 (10%) after resection with curative intent, and in 5/121 (4%) after a palliative operation. The causes of obstruction were benign adhesions (n ≥ 21), local recurrence (n ≥ 17) and peritoneal carcinomatosis (n ≥ 3). One patient died of a myocardial infarction and six of cancer within 30 days of the operation for small bowel obstruction. The estimated me...