Intestinal obstruction due to worms: Signs and treatment

The article is professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor I Tran Quoc Vinh - Emergency Doctor - Department of Resuscitation - Emergency - Vinmec Nha Trang International General Hospital.

Worms, flukes are parasites that can live in the human body, they can cause asthma, gastrointestinal diseases, in addition to causing dangerous complications such as intestinal obstruction due to worms, worms enter the bile duct...and life-threatening if not treated early.

Intestinal obstruction is a discontinuity in the lumen of the digestive tract, blocking food. In addition, this is a surgical emergency, second only to appendicitis, there are many causes of intestinal obstruction, but one of the most common causes in patients is intestinal obstruction due to worms.
The cause of intestinal obstruction by worms is that these parasites are not usually transmitted from person to person. But they are spread when an infected person comes into contact with water, food, a dirty lifestyle or living in a heavily polluted environment.
Risk of disease:
Currently, the diseases related to worms are mostly found in children because they are at the age of playing, easily dirty, so it has facilitated the easy infection of helminths into the digestive tract. through unhygienic eating habits. In humid climate like in our country, worms easily live and grow quickly in the environment and will make people more susceptible to infection. Signs of intestinal obstruction caused by worms:
When intestinal obstruction caused by worms, the patient will first have abdominal pain, cramping pain, and gradually increase, in addition, the abdomen may be uncomfortable bloating Intestinal obstruction caused by worms you may be in a state of constant exhaustion and fatigue Have symptoms of vomiting or vomiting of worms Unexplained weight loss, when infected with worms you will get less nutrients because the worms will take it away see the abdominal wall tight, the abdomen will be irritated peritoneum, bowel movements will decrease Digestive disorders, the patient will have diarrhea, or constipation After being sick for a long time, the patient will have electrolyte disturbances and anuria, which is life-threatening. If left for a long time, the condition will be complicated as, intussusception, intestinal volvulus, bleeding, leading to intestinal necrosis. Then the patient will have to remove the necrotic intestine.

The doctor will do by observing worm eggs by directly examining the stool. Adult females can also be found in the stool when the patient defecates. In addition, in the male case, there were no eggs in the stool, but evidence of intestinal parasites was found on X-ray.
For the case when the worms get into the gaps in the body, the duct organs and the cavities of the human body, they move into the bile duct, nasal cavity, ear, and some other parts, causing difficulty difficult to diagnose. For worms that enter the stomach and move outside the intestines, they can be treated with medication and possibly surgery.
A large number of worms in the intestines, causing intestinal volvulus, intestinal obstruction, can also be surgically removed if necessary.
X-ray, magnetic resonance, tomography will show the water level and the image of worms in the dilated loops of intestine.
Abdominal ultrasonography also showed dilated loops of bowel, more wall of the shoe, and a large number of worms causing intestinal obstruction.
In addition, we can test the blood count to see the increased number of white blood cells in the body. An elevated eosinophil count is often suggestive of a parasitic infection. Immunological blood tests also help diagnose disease

For mild cases, patients can use anti-worm drugs and appropriate electrolytes. After that, laxatives, enemas, and gastric drainage can be used to help resolve the semi-obstruction.
For severe cases, the patient will be indicated for surgery. After examination, if evidence or signs of necrosis is seen in the bowel, it is necessary and imperative that the bowel is resected.

Worms and helminths are a common disease worldwide, they cause a lot of complications, most people with worm-related diseases are caused by poor living habits and hygiene, so they are not conscious enough to cause consequences. . Therefore, each of us needs to raise the awareness of maintaining personal hygiene as well as for the people around us in a better way and understand that prevention is better than cure.
Preventive measures to limit this disease include:
Regularly eat cooked and boiled water Limit eating raw vegetables, and do not eat raw meats.. Do not use fresh manure to fertilize vegetables and fruits. take good measures to handle feces and waste properly. Wash hands with sanitizer before eating, and after using the toilet and taking care of children. It is recommended to use deworming drugs once every 6 months or as prescribed by a specialist for high efficiency in disease prevention. Vinmec International General Hospital with a system of modern facilities, medical equipment and a team of experts and doctors with many years of experience in neurological examination and treatment, patients can completely rest in peace. examination and treatment center at the Hospital.