Background: Small bowel obstruction (SBO) is a common diagnosis; however, outcomes of and risk factors for SBO and malignant bowel obstruction (MBO) surgery are not well understood. We sought to characterize outcomes and risk factors for surgery for SBO and MBO.
Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed utilizing prospectively collected data from the Michigan Surgical Quality Collaborative (7/2012-3/2015). Cases included those with ICD9 diagnosis code of bowel obstruction and CPT codes for lysis of adhesions, intestinal bypass, and small bowel resection. Cases were stratified by disseminated malignancy (MBO). Factors associated with complications and 30-day mortality were evaluated.
Results: Two thousand two hundred thirty-three patients underwent surgery for bowel obstruction, including 86 patients (3.9 %) with MBO. MBO patients had an adjusted mortality rate of 14.5 % (benign 5.0 %); the adjusted complication rate was 32.2 % (benign 27.0 %). Factors independently associated with mortality included disseminated cancer, older age, American Society of Anesthesiologists IV/V, cirrhosis, ascites, urinary tract infection, sepsis, albumin <3.5, hematocrit <30, and bowel resection.
Conclusions: Surgery for bowel obstruction carries a relatively high risk for morbidity and mortality, particularly in patients with malignant bowel obstruction. Considering the identified risk factors for mortality may help clinicians make recommendations regarding surgery in the setting of MBO.
Keywords: Malignant bowel obstruction; Outcomes; Small bowel obstruction; Surgery.