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This section has been reviewed and approved by the PLWC Editorial
Board, 05/05
A blocked intestine occurs when a tumor prevents food and fluids from
traveling through the gastrointestinal (GI) tract (stomach, intestines,
or bowels). Normally, the intestines move food and fluids through the GI
tract, and enzymes, fluids, and electrolytes help the body to absorb
nutrients. In a GI obstruction, the food and fluids can't move through
the system, and peristalsis (the normal contractions the intestines make
to move the food) can cause intense pain. If left untreated, a GI
obstruction is a serious and even life-threatening problem.
People with a GI obstruction may experience the following symptoms:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Pain from the
obstruction
- Cramping from the movement
of the intestine as it tries to move food along
GI obstructions most often occur in people with ovarian or
colorectal cancers, but may occur in those with cancers of the stomach,
uterus, prostate, or bladder as well.
Treatment
GI obstructions can often be treated with surgery, where the surgeon
operates and clears a path for the food to continue through the GI tract.
In people who cannot have surgery, certain medications or procedures may
help relieve the symptoms caused by a bowel obstruction:
- Intravenous (IV) fluids
- Use of a nasogastric tube, which is a tube that is
inserted through the nose down to the stomach and is used for
removing the contents of the stomach and preventing further pain
- Use of a stent, which is an expandable tube placed into
the site of the obstruction and may help food move more easily along
the GI tract
- Medications, including
those to stop nausea and vomiting, steroids to stop inflammation,
pain medications, and octreotide (Sandostatin)
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