Contrast transit time for small bowel obstruction: does it matter?

The widespread implementation of standardised protocols, specifically nasogastric tube (NGT) decompression and gastrografin-based small bowel follow-through (SBFT), has enhanced clinical outcomes in adhesive small bowel obstruction (SBO). Nonetheless, a clinical challenge arises when a subset of patients demonstrates obstruction resolution on SBFT but fails subsequent diet advancement, resulting in prolonged hospitalisation. This study sought to identify patient characteristics or imaging markers early in the clinical course that predict the need for operative intervention in partial small bowel obstruction (pSBO).