Help! Need info on perforated bowel emergency surgery.

[Saskia909]

Any doctors out there? My poor DP's mother has been in hosp for a week with severe abdo pains, nausea & vomiting. I think they gave her a barium meal. At first they were saying kidney stones but no bloody consultant would go and see her, there appeared to be no SHOs & the nurses wouldn't clarify. To make matters worse she is in Northern Ireland & we are in Devon, nearly 2 weeks overdue on DP's 1st child & MIL's (mother in law, right?)1st grandchild. We have just heard that she is now having emergency surgery for a perforated bowel & my search of the net has left me more confused. Any info on the why's wherefore's & possibilities would help me & DP deal with a stressful time & maybe I could relax enough to go into labour! By the way, MIL is youngish (I think about 54), slim & has always appeared to be in good health.

Sorry you are going through all this at the moment Saskia909. I can't help, but hope that someone else can.

Hi, Saskia. It's really difficult to answer your question without details, which I imagine you don't have! A perforated bowel could mean anything from the gullet to the rectum, and there are numerous causes and treatments.

I know this is not going to help right now, but first thing Monday morning, phone the Consultant's secretary, explain that you are far away and about to go into labour and ask if he/ she could phone you to explain how MIL is getting on. The nurses aren't allowed to give anything but the barest minimum over the phone "she had a comfortable night" etc), and it is quite possible that an SHO wouldn't be very clued up on the condition.

Do you have any family in NI? If so, they may be able to speak directly to a Consultant/ Registrar over the weekend.

HTH.