BackgroundSmall bowel obstruction (SBO) is a common condition leading to numerous hospital admissions and operations. Standardized care of adhesive SBO patients has not been widely implemented in hospital systems.MethodsA prospective cohort of SBO patients was compared to a historical cohort of SBO patients after implementation of a SBO protocol using evidence-based guidelines and Omnipaque, a low-osmolar water soluble contrast. Patients without a history of abdominal surgery were excluded and data was collected through chart review.ResultsUnivariate analyses demonstrated a decrease in both LOS by 1.35 days and in the proportion of patients receiving surgery (37% vs 25%; p?<?0.05). There was a decrease in time to surgery, rate of SBR, and rate of complications, yet an increase in readmission, although these findings were not statistically significant.ConclusionsUtilizing an evidence-based SBO protocol can lead to shorter LOS and may result in fewer operations for adhesive SBO patients. |