Epidemiology of adhesions in infants and children following open surgery.

Adhesions following intra-abdominal surgery are a major cause of small bowel obstruction. The nature of surgical interventions in children (especially neonates) increases the risk of adhesion-related complications. Following laparotomy in neonates, the collective literature reveals an aggregate mean incidence of adhesive small bowel obstruction (ASBO) of 6.2%; malrotation, 14.2%; gastroschisis, 12.6%; necrotising enterocolitis, 10.4%; exomphalos, 8.6%; Hirschsprung's disease, 8.1%; congenital diaphragmatic hernia, 6.3% and intestinal atresia, 5.7%. In children beyond the neonatal period, the aggregate mean incidence was 4.7%; colorectal surgery, 14%; open fundoplication, 8.2%; small bowel surgery, 5.7%; cancer surgery, 5.5%; choledochal cyst, 3.1%; appendicectomy, 1.4% and pyloromyotomy, 0.1%.