Frozen abdomen is a medical condition that happens when surgeons remove fibrous bands in the abdomen over and over again, causing scar tissue to form that makes it impossible to do any more surgery. But these bands need to be taken off because they can cause intestinal blockages, infertility, and bowel strangulation in the worst cases.
Appendicitis, internal injuries, and abdominal surgeries can all cause adhesions, which are when tissues stick together and cause pain, nausea, vomiting, and cramping.
Adhesions are thought to happen to 90 to 95% of surgical patients, though the severity varies. Treatments cover a wide range, from techniques to deal with a bowel obstruction to surgery. However, repeated surgeries often make the condition worse in the long run. Changes in surgical technology and methods have made it less likely for patients to get a frozen abdomen, but it is still a common problem.
Non-invasive treatments have been tried, but none of them have been shown to work consistently. Because surgery only gives short-term relief, it is only used for people who don’t get better with other treatments. Patients with severe scarring that blocks the bowels and puts them at risk of being strangled or dying are usually operated on right away. But sometimes the only sign of a frozen abdomen is pain. Before the condition can be diagnosed and surgery suggested, all other possible causes of pain, like gallbladder disease, must be ruled out.
