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Ileus Health Article

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Prevention

Most cases of ileus are not preventable. Surgery to remove a tumor or other mechanical obstruction may help to prevent a recurrence.

Parental concerns

When their child is diagnosed with ileus, parents may be concerned about the necessity of surgery to correct the problem. Surgery, however, is considered only in medical emergencies and for patients for whom more conservative treatments have failed.

KEY TERMS

Bulimia nervosa—An eating disorder characterized by binge eating and inappropriate compensatory behavior, such as vomiting, misusing laxatives, or excessive exercise.

Computed tomography (CT)—An imaging technique in which cross-sectional x rays of the body are compiled to create a three-dimensional image of the body's internal structures; also called computed axial tomography.

Meconium—A greenish fecal material that forms the first bowel movement of an infant.

Peritoneum—The transparent membrane lining the abdominal and pelvic cavities (parietal peritoneum) and the membrane forming the outer layer of the stomach and interstines (visceral peritoneum). Between the visceral and parietal peritoneums is a potential space called the peritoneal cavity.

BOOKS

Turnage, Richard H., and Patricia C. Bergen. "Intestinal Obstruction." In Sleisenger & Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease, 7th ed. Edited by Mark Feldman et al. Philadelphia: Saunders, 2002.

Wyllie, Robert. "Ileus, Adhesions, Intussusception, and Closed-Loop Obstructions." In Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics, 17th ed. Edited by Richard E. Behrman, Robert M. Kleigman, and Hal B. Jenson. Philadelphia: Saunders, 2004.

PERIODICALS

Miedema, Brent W., and Joel O. Johnson. "Methods for Decreasing Postoperative Gut Dysmotility." The Lancet Oncology 4, no. 6 (June 2003): 365–72.

ORGANIZATIONS

American Gastroenterological Association. 4930 Del Ray Ave., Bethesda, MD 20814. Web site: <www.gastro.org>.

WEB SITES

Beers, Mark H. and Robert Berkow, eds. "Ileus." The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy, 2004. Available online at <www.merck.com/mrkshared/mmanual/section3/chapter25/25c.jsp> (accessed January 6, 2005).

Bernstein, Linda R. "Clinic and Cost Impact of Postoperative Ileus." Medscape, April 30, 2002. Available online at <www.medscape.com/viewarticle/429661_1> (accessed January 6, 2005).

Irish, Michael. "Surgical Aspects of Cystic Fibrosis and Meconium Ileus." eMedicine. October 17, 2003.

Available online at <www.emedicine.com/ped/topic2995.htm> (accessed January 6, 2005).

Tish Davidson, AM Stephanie Dionne Sherk

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