The patient: An 82-year-old woman in Bologna, Italy
The symptoms: The woman was admitted to the hospital with abdominal pain that had worsened over the previous four days. The symptom was accompanied by constipation and episodes of nausea and vomiting.
What happened next: During a physical examination, doctors found that the patient's abdomen was distended and tender. Laboratory results from a blood test indicated that her white blood cell count was elevated, which is often a sign of an immune response to an infection.
When doctors performed an abdominal X-ray, they discovered that parts of the woman's intestines had expanded due to gas or fluid, while other portions of her intestines had collapsed. An abdominal CT scan revealed that the woman had a solid object blocking her intestinal loops on the right side — a situation known as a small bowel obstruction (SBO).
The diagnosis: SBOs have several possible causes, including tumors. Additionally, a section of the bowel can twist, forming a "volvulus," or a mass of tissue can push through a tear in the intestinal wall, causing a hernia.
However, in...
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