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Meaning of Free Intraperitoneal Fluid in Small‐Bowel Obstruction
Author(s) -
Iacobellis Francesca,
Berritto Daniela,
Belfiore Maria Paola,
Di Lanno Imma,
Maiorino Manuela,
Saba Luca,
Grassi Roberto
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of ultrasound in medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.574
H-Index - 91
eISSN - 1550-9613
pISSN - 0278-4297
DOI - 10.7863/ultra.33.5.887
Subject(s) - medicine , bowel obstruction , peritoneal fluid , surgery , gastroenterology
Objectives The aim of this study was to detect the onset, evolution, and meaning of extraluminal free fluid in a rat model of small‐bowel obstruction using high‐frequency microsonography. Methods Small‐bowel obstruction was surgically created in 8 rats divided into 2 groups of 4 rats each. All rats were examined by high‐frequency microsonography to monitor the evolution of small‐bowel obstruction and the abdominal sonographic findings. In group 2 rats, the obstruction was resolved 2 hours after surgery. Results In all rats, free peritoneal fluid was detected just near the obstructed loop after 1 hour and in the hepatorenal recess after 2 hours. These features progressively increased in the following hours in group 1 rats. In group 2, the amount of free fluid decreased shortly after removing the obstruction. Conclusions Free fluid is an early finding in small‐bowel obstruction, and the increase or decrease of its amount is correlated with the worsening or resolution of the obstruction.