PAEA Surgery End Of Rotation (EOR) Practice Exam

What are the three most common causes of small bowel obstruction?

1. Adhesions, bulge (hernia), and cancer

2. Infection, inflammation, and trauma

3. Strictures, masses, and foreign bodies

4. Crohn's disease, diverticulitis, and volvulus

The correct answer is: Adhesions, bulge (hernia), and cancer

Small bowel obstruction is a clinical condition that can result from various underlying causes, but the three most common causes are adhesions, hernias, and cancer. Adhesions are fibrous bands of tissue that can form after abdominal surgeries. They are the leading cause of small bowel obstructions due to their tendency to create strictures and pull sections of the small intestine together, leading to twisting or narrowing that obstructs the passage of contents. Hernias occur when a part of the intestine protrudes through a weakness or tear in the abdominal wall. This displacement can lead to incarceration or strangulation of the bowel, causing obstruction. Cancer can also lead to small bowel obstructions, either through the presence of neoplasms that create physical blockages or via the metastasis of tumors that obstruct the bowel lumen or compress it externally. Other options, while they describe conditions that can cause bowel issues, do not represent the most frequent causes specifically leading to small bowel obstruction. Infection and inflammation (as mentioned in one of the other choices) can lead to swelling and narrowing of the bowel but are not as common as the causes listed in the correct answer. Similarly, structural changes or complications like strictures and masses can occur but are more often secondary to the primary