Small bowel obstructions following the use of barbed suture: a review of the literature and analysis of the MAUDE database.

Surgeons should have a high index of suspicion for SBO if a patient presents with obstructive symptoms after a surgery that used barbed suture. This will often present as a mesenteric volvulus on CT. These particular SBOs require operative exploration, with laparoscopy being successful in the majority of cases.