Causes and risk factors

Causes and risk factors

The risk factors for ileus are listed in Summary box 73.3 Postoperative ileus (POI) occurs in 10–20% of patients under going elective major abdominal surgery and is usually defined by a failure to tolerate oral intake or pass stool 72 hours after surgery . Summary box 73.3 Risk factors for ileus /uni25CF /uni25CF /uni25CF /uni25CF /uni25CF /uni25CF /uni25CF /uni25CF

Recent surgery: POI Local in /f_l ammation (peritonitis, severe acute pancreatitis) Systemic in /f_l ammation by any cause, e.g. sepsis, trauma Electrolyte disturbance (especially hypokalaemia and hypercalcaemia) Acute endocrine disturbance (hypothyroidism, diabetic ketoacidosis) Medications, e.g. opioids Acute CNS disease (especially high spinal transections) Intestinal ischaemia (mesenteric vascular disease)