In this Monday (3) edition of the Medical Correspondent chart, on the New Day, cardiologist Stephanie Rizk spoke about intestinal obstruction, a situation that led the President of the Republic, Jair Bolsonaro (PL), to be admitted to a hospital in São Paulo this morning, with no forecast of discharge.
Bolsonaro was on vacation with his first lady, Michelle Bolsonaro, and her daughter, Laura, in São Francisco do Sul, on the coast of Santa Catarina. On the last night, he interrupted his stay at Fort Marechal Luz and went by helicopter to Joinville, where he boarded the presidential plane. In São Paulo, he was taken to the Vila Nova Star hospital, which confirmed the diagnosis.
According to Stephanie Rizk, the condition is characterized by a complete blockage or a subocclusion, a partial blockage of the large or small intestine. The situation can cause severe abdominal pain, in addition to nausea and vomiting, stop the elimination of gas and feces, and abdominal distension.
“Food stops progressing in the intestine, it’s as if the intestinal transit was closed, with the pathway blocked. Everything that is left behind is as if it were trapped. There may be nausea and vomiting,” he explained. “The person tries to eat something and he can’t.”
The cardiologist also highlighted that the hospitalization may still be a reflection of the stab suffered by Bolsonaro in 2018, when the then presidential candidate was campaigning in Juiz de Fora (MG). Since then, he has had to be hospitalized five times to deal with the consequences of the episode. “Previous abdominal surgeries may be the main risk factor,” he said.
“In the case of the president, who had a trauma… our organism, when it is healing, forms a fibrous cord. At some point, the loop gets a little narrower and causes the obstruction. From 2% to 5% of patients undergoing abdominal surgery are affected by this condition”, he concluded.
Rizk stressed that the diagnosis of intestinal obstruction must be made as soon as possible since, in these cases, the pressure made by the intestine itself is greater than that made by the blood vessels. The situation can cause what is called ischemia, when there is a lack of blood supply to an area of the body, causing necrosis and intestinal perforation.
Treatment, on the other hand, may vary. For simpler cases, the doctor spoke about the basic care to be taken. “It can be anything from a milder condition, with rest, to stop eating and hydrate the bowel to take it easy”, he concluded.
Reference: CNN Brasil
