Evaluation of Surgical and Conservative Management Outcomes in Small Bowel Obstruction at BMIMS, Pawapuri, Nalanda

Background: Small bowel obstruction (SBO) is a common surgical emergency associated with significant morbidity and mortality if not managed appropriately. Management strategies include conservative ‘treatment and surgical intervention depending on the severity and underlying cause. Aim: To evaluate and compare the outcomes of surgical and conservative management in patients with small bowel obstruction. Methodology: A hospital-based observational retrospective study was conducted in the Department of General Surgery, Bhagwan Mahavir Institute of Medical Sciences, Pawapuri, Nalanda, Bihar, India, for six months. A total of 80 patients aged ≥18 years with clinically and radiologically confirmed SBO were included. Patients were managed either conservatively or surgically based on clinical condition. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 27.0. Results: The majority of patients were aged 51–60 years (25%), with a male predominance (57.5%). Postoperative adhesions (35%) were the most common cause of SBO, followed by hernia (22.5%). Conservative management was adopted in 60% of patients, while 40% underwent surgery. Complete recovery was observed in 65% of cases, partial recovery in 20%, postoperative complications in 10%, and mortality in 5%. Conclusion: Conservative management was effective in most cases of SBO; however, timely surgical intervention remains essential in patients with complications or failure of conservative treatment. Keywords: Small bowel obstruction, conservative management, surgical management, adhesions, intestinal obstruction, treatment outcomes.