TY - JOUR T1 - Current management of malignant bowel obstructions: a survey of acute care surgeons and surgical oncologists JF - Trauma Surgery & Acute Care Open JO - Trauma Surg Acute Care Open DO - 10.1136/tsaco-2021-000755 VL - 6 IS - 1 SP - e000755 AU - Josh Bleicher AU - Laura A Lambert AU - Courtney L Scaife AU - Alexander Colonna Y1 - 2021/06/01 UR - http://tsaco.bmj.com/content/6/1/e000755.abstract N2 - Background Malignant small bowel obstructions (MSBOs) are one of the most challenging problems surgeons encounter, and evidence-based treatment recommendations are lacking. We hypothesized that current opinions on MSBO management differ between acute care surgeons (ACSs) and surgical oncologists (SOs).Methods We developed three case scenarios describing patients with previously treated cancer who developed an MSBO. Each case had five to six alternate scenarios, intended to capture the heterogeneity of MSBO presentations. Members of the Society of Surgical Oncology, the American Society of Peritoneal Surface Malignancies, and the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma were asked how likely they would be to offer surgical treatment in each scenario. Responses were analyzed for factors associated with the likelihood surgeons would offer surgical management.Results 316 surgeons completed the survey: 119 (37.7%) SOs and 197 (62.3%) ACSs. Overall, SOs were nearly twice as likely as ACSs to recommend surgical management. The largest differences between provider groups were seen in patients with an increased metastatic burden. In a patient with MSBO with metastatic colon cancer, both SOs (95.8%) and ACSs (94.4%) were likely or very likely to offer an operation (p=0.587); however, this fell to 91.6% and 77.7%, respectively, when this patient had multiple hepatic metastases (p=0.001). All surgeons were less likely to offer surgery to patients with multiple sites of obstruction, recurrent MSBO, and shorter disease-free intervals.Discussion Opinions on MSBO management differ based on surgeon training and experience. Multidisciplinary management of patients with MSBO should be offered when available and increased emphasis placed on determining optimal management guidelines across specialties.Level of evidence Level IV Epidemiologic.Data are available upon reasonable request. Data are available on reasonable request from the corresponding author. ER -