Long intestinal tube splinting really prevents recurrence of postoperative adhesive small bowel obstruction: a study of 1,071 cases.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to identify if long intestinal tube splinting could really decrease recurrent adhesive small bowel obstruction (ASBO) by survival analysis.

METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on 1,071 patients who underwent operation for postoperative ASBO between December 2001 and 2008 at our unit. According to the risk factors of recurrent ASBO, all patients were divided into high-risk recurrence group and low-risk recurrence group regardless of whether they received tube splinting. The efficiency of tube splinting for reducing recurrence in each group was investigated, respectively.

RESULTS: The risk of recurrent ASBO increased in the patients with perioperative blood loss of 300 mL or more. In the high-risk recurrence group, tube splinting can reduce recurrence (P = .045). In the low-risk recurrence group, tube splinting had no influence on recurrence (P = .91).

CONCLUSIONS: Long intestinal tube splinting can prevent recurrence of ASBO only in the patients with high risk of recurrence.