Abstract
Background: Acute intestinal obstruction is a common surgical emergency and a frequently encountered problem in abdominal surgery. A partial or complete blockage of the intestines characterizes it. Aims of the study: Evaluate the relevance of clinical and laboratory findings, such as symptom duration, abdominal pain, tachycardia, hypotension, fever, surgical scars, abdominal mass, tenderness, rebound tenderness, rigidity, bowel sounds, blood on digital rectal exam, and leukocytosis, in predicting strangulated intestinal obstruction. Methodology: This is a prospective study of adult patients admitted with acute intestinal obstruction. All patients were admitted, history was taken, and a physical examination was performed. All data were recorded, and thirteen clinical and laboratory findings were evaluated upon admission. Patients were followed up during admission. Result: The study included 142 patients, with 79 males and 63 females. Initially, 49 patients received conservative management, with 35 successfully treated. Fourteen underwent surgery after failing conservative therapy or developing strangulation symptoms. Ninety-three patients went straight to surgery after supportive therapy, totaling 107 surgical cases. Conclusions: Constant abdominal pain, rebound tenderness, rigidity, absent bowel sounds, blood in digital rectal exam, and leukocytosis are significant indicators of strangulated intestinal obstruction, necessitating early surgical exploration.