The Medical Management of Malignant Bowel Obstruction

Abstract

A study was made of 18 consecutive patients at St. Christopher’s Hospice suffering with intestinal obstruction from advanced abdominal or pelvic malignancy. The majority were managed medically, without using the traditional conservative treatment of intravenous fluids and nasogastric suction. Good control of obstructive symptoms such as intestinal colic, vomiting and diarrhoea was obtained with the use of drugs and details of medication are described. The place of further surgery is discussed and a series of post mortems on obstructed patients presented.