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Rupture of the intestine
A rupture of the intestine occurs when an injury or previous illness causes the intestine to burst and leave a hole in the intestinal wall . Doctors also speak of intestinal perforation or intestinal rupture.
The intestinal contents can get through the hole into the abdomen
and trigger a life-threatening infection . A
ruptured bowel is therefore an emergency that can be fatal and must be treated
immediate. Call an ambulance if
you or someones close to you has sudden severe abdominal pain , a
hard stomach, and circulatory problems. While waiting for the ambulance, remove any cramping clothing and keep your upper body
elevated .
There are several explanations for how a perforated bowel occurs. Chronic
inflammation of the intestinal wall is usually responsible for this . A
rupture of the intestine can occur in any part of the intestine - both in the
small intestine, in the large intestine, and in the appendix.
Doctors
differentiate between the following types of intestinal perforation:
- Covered intestinal breakthrough : Experts speak of a covered
or covered intestinal breakthrough when surrounding organs close the hole
in the intestine. This type of intestinal rupture is usually less
dangerous because none of the intestinal contents enter the abdominal
cavity. The inflammation is limited to the intestines.
- Open intestinal breakthrough : Doctors refer to the incident as an open intestinal breakthrough when the hole is exposed and intestinal contents such as food residues, digestive juices and also germs enter the abdominal cavity unhindered. This inflames the peritoneum, which can be life-threatening.
- Colon breakthrough: symptoms
Symptoms for patients with perforated bowel are varied. People
with an open intestinal breakthrough usually have much more severe symptoms
than those with a hidden intestinal breakthrough. In both cases, medical
professionals can identify the hole in the intestine by the following signs:
- You suddenly have severe abdominal
pain.
- The general condition worsens
suddenly.
- The abdominal wall feels firm and
hard.
Many patients with an open intestinal perforation also have these symptoms:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Acute constipation
- Shortness of breath and difficulty
breathing
- Racing heart
- fever
- Sweats
- chills
- Circulatory problems and dizziness
- Radiating pain up to the shoulder
Colon breakthrough: causes
Different clinical pictures can injure the intestinal wall and
cause a hole in the intestine. Most notably, these include inflammatory bowel disease, as the
inflammation damages the intestinal tissue. The most common are:
- Appendicitis: inflammation of the appendix
- Ulcerative colitis: a chronic inflammations of the
large intestine that causes ulcers (ulcers)
- Crohn's disease: chronic inflammation of the
intestinal lining and deeper intestinal layers, mostly at the end of the
small intestine and the beginning of the large intestine
- Diverticulitis : inflammation of protuberances
(diverticula) on the intestinal wall
Also, tumors or intestinal obstruction may be a bowel
perforation trigger. In addition, accidents and acts of
violence can cause bowel perforation:
- Impact in a traffic accident
- Swallowed object
- Object introduced through the anus
- Gunshot or stab wounds
During a colonoscopy , the
examination device can injure the intestinal wall. However, intestinal
perforation after a screening colonoscopy is very rare. The risk is around
0.1 to 1 percent.
Surgery
is also a rare but possible cause. A hole in the intestine after an
operation occurs, for example, when sutures on the intestinal wall loosen. This
happens in around 5 to 15 percent of operations on the colon. It is very
rare for the surgeon to injure the bowel during surgery. The risk is 1 to
2 percent.
Anyone
who smokes or drinks a lot of alcohol increases the likelihood of having a
perforated bowel.
Colon perforation: diagnosis
To determine if an intestinal rupture has occurred, the doctor
first examines the patient's abdomen. To do this , he carefully feels and taps the zone. He also
asks the person concerned whether they have previous illnesses and whether they
are taking medication. The doctor will then usually arrange for an X-ray to be taken while standing. If
he recognizes free air below the diaphragm on the X-ray, it is usually a
breakthrough in the intestine. An ultrasound image can
also show leaked fluid from the intestine.
If the doctor is unsure, he also examines the patient with a computer tomograph (CT). The doctor
uses a contrast medium, which he injects into the vein of the affected person
or introduces it through the rectum. If the color can be seen in the
abdomen, he can make the diagnosis of an intestinal perforation.
A blood test can also indicate a rupture of the intestine. When the number of white blood cells (leukocytes) is increased, the doctor knows that the person has an acute inflammation.
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