clinical features

Last reviewed 01/2018

The clinical features of paralytic ileus include:

  • little or no abdominal pain
  • abdominal distension
  • failure to pass flatus or faeces
  • no local abdominal tenderness
  • no bowel sounds
  • vomiting/persistently high nasogastric output
  • radiology shows gas throughout small and large bowel, but this does not exclude partial mechanical obstruction