What it means
The bowel stops pushing its contents along, so gas and fluid build up. It is common for a short time after abdominal surgery (postoperative ileus) and can also come from opioids, low potassium, infection or inflammation in the abdomen. The client has a swollen belly, nausea and vomiting, few or no bowel sounds and no gas or stool passing. A blockage by something physical is a mechanical obstructionub-STRUK-shunA blockage in a passage of the body, such as an airway, the bowel, a blood vessel or a tube.Full entry instead.
For the nurse
Listen for bowel sounds and ask about passing gas after surgery. Getting out of bed and walking early helps the bowel wake up. Keep the client NPO and manage a nasogastric tube as ordered.
At a glance
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Related terms
hypokalemia
A blood potassium level below normal, under 3.5 mEq/L.
postoperative
Describing the time after surgery, from the end of the operation until recovery.
intestine
The long tube of the digestive tract between the stomach and the anus, made up of the small and large intestine.
obstruction
A blockage in a passage of the body, such as an airway, the bowel, a blood vessel or a tube.