Usefulness of Octreotide for Bowel Obstruction in Terminally Ill Patients

• Published in: Nippon Shokaki Geka Gakkai zasshi Vol. 40; no. 4; pp. 522 - 527
• Main Authors: Teramoto, Tatsuo, Itoh, Masaaki, Honda, Ryoichi, Tokura, Natsuki, Watanabe, Masashi, Nanami, Tatsuki, Kaneko, Hironori
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: The Japanese Society of Gastroenterological Surgery 2007
• Subjects: bowel obstruction; octreotide; terminally ill patien
• ISSN: 0386-9768; 1348-9372
• DOI: 10.5833/jjgs.40.522

Nausea, vomiting, and the feeling of abdominal distension due to bowel obstruction ruin a terminally ill patient'squality of life. Reports indicate that octreotide is effective against these symptoms. Octreotide was approved in an insurance adjustment in October 2004 when it became acceptable for use in general ward patientswith bowel obstruction. We obtained excellent results using octreotide in seven terminally ill patients with bowel obstruction between May 2005 to March 2006. The four men and three women averaged 67.3±11.2 years of age. Primary cancer involved three gastric cancers, and one each of sigmoid colon cancer, ascendingcolon cancer, pancreatic cancer, and idiopathic cancer. Nausea, vomiting, and the feeling of abdominal distension were assessed based on efficacy criteria using the JCOG toxicity scale, and oral intake in five exampleswas attained. After using octreotide, none of the subjects required nasogastric tubes and hydration was decreased. Gastroenterological surgeons should thus consider the use of octreotide as the first choice in inoperableterminally ill patients with bowel obstruction.