Invest Radiol. 1988 Nov;23(11):822-6. doi: 10.1097/00004424-198811000-00004.

What happens to patients after upper and lower gastrointestinal tract barium studies?.

Investigative radiology

H J Smith, K Jones, T B Hunter

PMID: 3061971 DOI: 10.1097/00004424-198811000-00004

Abstract

We investigated the occurrence of new constipation, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, visible blood in stool, abdominal pain, black stools, belching, and flatus in 324 outpatients following upper or lower gastrointestinal tract barium procedures. We also evaluated the roles of age, sex, patient mobility, and types of barium enema (single- or double-contrast). At least one new symptom was reported after 51% of all examinations. Constipation was the most frequently reported single symptom after barium meal or small bowel examinations. Fifty percent of all constipation occurred following upper gastrointestinal examinations. Abdominal pain was common in patients of the seventh decade, especially following barium enema. Nausea typically followed barium swallow or upper gastrointestinal series. Belching and passage of flatus were the most frequently reported symptoms after barium enema, both single- and double-contrast. No significant relationship between the frequency of symptoms and patient age, sex, or the type of barium enema was established.

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Substances

• Barium Sulfate

MeSH terms

• Adult
• Aged
• Barium Sulfate / adverse effects
• Female
• Gastrointestinal Diseases / diagnostic imaging
• Gastrointestinal Diseases / etiology
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Multicenter Studies as Topic
• Radiography

Publication Types

• Journal Article
• Multicenter Study

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