Why do bowel peforation and strangulation have similar signs

[scilearner]

Hello everyone,

From what I have read I have deduced that both bowel peforation and strangulation have same clinical features, which are fever, leukocytosis, pain, tenderness, increase in vital signs (eg tachycardia)

1. Why is this? Is it becase strangulation bowel (which means necrosis really) eventually lead to peforation. If not how do you differentiate between the two?

2. If bowel peforation occurs, peritonitis is bound to happen, so are these clinical features due to peritonitis. If not why do these two things cause these clinical features. Eg why cause fever?

3. If some abdominal organ burst, peritonitis can occur. If a thoracic organ occurs infection of thoracic cabity can occur, what do you call that?

Thanks a lot

[Xalatan]

Strangulation will lead to ischaemia and coagulative necrosis. Inflammation and necrotic perforation may both occur secondarily and they are not mutually exclusive, end result being peritonitis. Bowel perf will cause faecal peritonitis. So with both conditions you are looking at acute peritonitides giving clinical toxicity, both surgical emergencies.

 

Not sure what the equivalent in thorax called - pyothorax? Or empyema. It's proabably possible to get purulent mediastinitis.