Surgery>>>>>Small Intestine
Question 10#

A closed-loop obstruction is particularly dangerous because:

A. Intraluminal pressure rises high enough to cause ischemia and necrosis
B. The obstruction is painless
C. Bacterial overgrowth results in sepsis
D. The obstructive segment is not apparent on imaging studies

Correct Answer is A

Comment:

A closed-loop obstruction, in which an intestinal segment is obstructed both proximally and distally, as in a volvulus, is particularly dangerous because intraluminal pressure rises quickly and can cause venous congestion and arterial obstruction which leads to necrosis of the intestinal wall and perforation. It classically presents with "pain out of proportion to the physical exam;' and is usually apparent on CT scan which frequently shows a U -shaped or C-shaped dilated bowel loop associated with a radial distribution of mesenteric vessels converging toward a torsion point.