Does laparoscopic adhesiolysis decrease the risk of recurrent symptoms in small bowel obstruction? A propensity score-matched analysis

The outcomes of laparoscopic adhesiolysis for small bowel obstruction have generally been satisfactory over the short term. However, the long-term outcomes, including recurrence of symptoms and management of recurrence, remain controversial. This study compares the long-term outcomes of a series of laparoscopic and open surgery procedures for the treatment of small bowel obstruction.

Patients who underwent adhesiolysis for small bowel obstruction at our institution between 2008 and 2015 were retrospectively reviewed. In total, 156 patients were enrolled, 78 with laparoscopic and 78 with open surgery. Propensity score matching was used to minimize the bias in patient selection. Long-term outcomes included incidence of recurrent symptoms and reoperation. In addition to the comparison of outcomes, risk factor assessment for recurrent symptoms and analysis of detailed information in patients with reoperation were performed. Statistical methods included χ ² test, Mann–Whitney U test, Cox proportional hazards model, and Kaplan–Meier plots with log-rank comparison.

Laparoscopy was performed in a younger population with milder bowel dilation and less complicated etiologies. These factors were used to construct the propensity score model, which yielded a matched cohort of 52 legs in each group. Laparoscopy achieved good short-term outcomes including early recovery of gastrointestinal function, reduced incidence of complications, and shorter hospital stay. For long-term outcomes, while the overall recurrence rate did not differ between the groups (11.5 vs 7.7%), the incidence of reoperation for recurrence was significantly higher in the laparoscopically treated group (7.7 vs 0%, p = .017). The Cox proportional hazards model showed that multiple prior surgeries (≥3 times) were a risk factor for overall recurrence (hazard ratio 7.39, p = .041).

Laparoscopic adhesiolysis did not decrease the incidence of recurrent symptoms; rather, it was related to higher incidence of recurrent small bowel obstruction requiring surgical treatment.