摘要Intestinal obstruction (IO), which refers to a partial or complete blockage of the intestine, is an emergency gastrointestinal disorder commonly seen in the intensive care unit (ICU) and emergency department and associated with high morbidity and mortality.[1,2] Common etiologies of IO include adhesions, hernias, intussusception, foreign bodies, ischemia, tumors, etc. Delay in the diagnosis and management of IO is associated with higher mortality due to complications such as bowel necrosis, perforation, sepsis, and septic shock.[3] IO can be divided into small bowel obstruction (SBO) and colonic obstruction (CO). In SBO, 74％ of cases are caused by adhesions, which may respond to conservative management. It is critical to identify which of those cases may progress and require emergent surgical intervention with the help of the diagnostic and assessment tools. In contrast to SBO, most cases of CO demand surgery. In this instance, appropriate assessment tools are required to define the location of the obstruction, which will assist in the proper surgical procedure.