Adhesions
Adhesions are bands of scar tissue that may form after surgery to the abdomen. They may cause tissues and organs to stick together. Usually, they do not cause any problems.
What are abdominal adhesions?
Normally, tissues and organs inside the abdomen (tummy) are slippery and move easily as the body moves.
After surgery to the abdomen, bands of scar tissue may form between abdominal tissues and organs. These are called adhesions. They cause the tissues and organs to stick together.
Side view of the abdomen
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What are the signs and symptoms of adhesions?
Adhesions often do not cause any problems. But sometimes they can cause pain. This may be more likely if you have also had radiotherapy to the abdomen.
Rarely, adhesions can make part of the bowel twist or kink, pulling it out of place so that it becomes blocked. This can cause symptoms such as:
- severe pain or cramping in the tummy
- vomiting (being sick)
- bloating
- loud gurgling sounds from the bowel
- tummy swelling
- not being able to pass wind
- constipation.
If you have severe pain, you should contact a doctor straight away. You may need tests such as x-rays or a CT scan to check what is causing the pain.
If your symptoms are caused by a blocked bowel, you may need urgent treatment.
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Treating a blocked bowel
Usually, the bowel is only partly blocked and gets better after being rested for a time. This may mean:
- a short stay in hospital
- not eating for a day or so and having fluids through a drip into a vein
- having a liquid or low-residue diet.
A low-residue diet contains very low amounts of fibre. This means the digestive system can break food down more easily into smaller particles. Your nurse or doctor will explain this diet in more detail if you need to follow it for a short time.
If the bowel is completely blocked, you may need an urgent operation to relieve it.
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Treating adhesions
Most people do not need treatment for adhesions as they usually cause no problems. Surgery is the only way to break adhesions that cause pain or a blocked bowel. But surgery may cause more adhesions, so it is avoided where possible.
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This information has been written, revised and edited by Macmillan Cancer Support’s Cancer Information Development team. It has been reviewed by expert medical and health professionals and people living with cancer.
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References
Below is a sample of the sources used in our late effects of pelvic radiotherapy information. If you would like more information about the sources we use, please contact us at informationproductionteam@macmillan.org.uk
N Welle, H Sajjad, A Adkins and B Burns. Bowel adhesions. Last Update: March 11, 2023. National Library of Medicine. Stat Pearls. Available at Bowel Adhesions - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf (nih.gov) [accessed March 2026]
S Haas, A Højer Mikkelsen, C Jensenius Skovhus Kronborg et al. Management of treatment-related sequelae following colorectal cancer. PubMed. Colorectal Disease Journal. 15 August 2022. Available at https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35969031/ [accessed March 2026]
A Carlile and T McAdam. The Long-Term and Late Effects of the Diagnosis and Treatment of Colorectal Cancer. Ulster Medical Journal. 2023 May. Available at https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37649914/ [accessed March 2026]
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