Adhesions causing SBO are classified as either matted adhesions or single adhesive bands, and both types have different mechanisms that lead to SBO. In patients with matted adhesions, SBO results from angulation and kinking or from torsion of the intestines.

What causes matted intestines?

Malrotation occurs when a problem with the way the intestines form causes them to settle in the wrong place in the abdomen. This can cause the intestines to twist or become blocked. In adults, causes of a sigmoid volvulus include: an enlarged colon.

What are matted adhesions?

Matted adhesions versus adhesive bands Adhesive structures are defined as matted adhesions if they are multiple, dense and tangled, and defined as bands if they are single, >1 cm long, and <1 cm in diameter [10].