[The determination of plasma malondialdehyde in patients with obstruction of the small intestine].

Plasma malonic dialdehyde (MDA) level is evaluated in 22 patients with small intestinal obstruction. Bowel strangulation is found in 14 cases-reversible in eight, and irreversible in six, and simple small-intestine obstruction-in eight. The plasma MDA level in this group of patients is compared with the one in a control group of twenty healthy individuals. In the control group MDA is 2.6 +/- 0.5 nmol/ml, in strangulation obstruction-6.9 +/- 1.5 nmol/ml, and in those with simple obstruction-2.8 +/- 0.4 nmol/ml. The difference in MDA level between strangulation cases and the other groups under study is statistically significant plasma MDA increase in patients with small intestinal strangulation may be successfully used for the purpose of diagnosis.