Small bowel obstruction – adhesions

Small bowel obstruction – adhesions

This patient had a history of rectal cancer, with a previous low anterior resection. PFA on this admission showed small bowel obstruction – the valvulae conniventes are very well demonstrated. Note the surgical staples in the pelvis. With this appearance, it is reasonable to suggest that the obstruction is likely to be secondary to adhesions, which indeed it turned out to be in this case.