| Methods |
Prospective study |
| Participants |
Patients admitted to surgical unit with small bowel obstruction related to adhesions caused by previous abdominal surgery. |
| Interventions |
The stomach was emptied through a nasogastric tube, 50 ml of 76% Urografin was injected slowly through the nasogastric tube, a supine abdominal x ray was taken 4 hours later. |
| Outcomes |
The need for surgery or eventual resolution of bowel obstruction without surgery was decided on clinical basis, managing surgeon was blinded to the result of the contrast study.
The need for surgical treatment was compared between the patients who had the contrast reaching the caecum after 4 hours and those in whom the contrast failed to reach the caecum after 4 hours. |
| Notes |
The study involved patients with primary small bowel obstruction, there were 2 patients with missed inguinal hernia, 2 obturator hernia, 2 with colon cancer, 2 obstruction by food bolus and 1 internal hernia. |
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Allocation concealment? |
Low risk |
A ‐ Adequate |
