: obstruction of the bowel
especially
: functional obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract and especially the small intestine that is marked by the absence of peristalsis, is usually accompanied by abdominal pain, bloating, and sometimes nausea and vomiting, and typically occurs following abdominal surgery
Examples of ileus in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
There are also more serious possible side effects like ileus.
—
Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
The clearest exceptions are cases of meconium ileus, in which doing nothing comes with its own costs.
—Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 19 Mar. 2024
This is called meconium ileus, and in the worst cases, the intestines can rupture.
—Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 19 Mar. 2024
Another risk is developing an ileus, George added, when the intestines are slow to restart after anesthesia or surgery.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY, 10 Jan. 2024
This just happened in October—the FDA added a gastrointestinal side effect, ileus, to Ozempic’s label.
—Julia Landwehr, Health, 19 Jan. 2024
The condition, called ileus, occurs when there are problems pushing food through the intestine and can cause build-up and blockage there.
—Staff Author, Verywell Health, 29 Sep. 2023
If left untreated, ileus can cause parts of the intestine to die, leading to major problems or death for patients.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 28 Sep. 2023
Taking the medication could be linked to ileus, a condition where the intestines temporarily stop functioning.
—Julia Landwehr, Health, 4 Oct. 2023
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Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
The clearest exceptions are cases of meconium ileus, in which doing nothing comes with its own costs.
—Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 19 Mar. 2024
This is called meconium ileus, and in the worst cases, the intestines can rupture.
—Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 19 Mar. 2024
Another risk is developing an ileus, George added, when the intestines are slow to restart after anesthesia or surgery.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY, 10 Jan. 2024
This just happened in October—the FDA added a gastrointestinal side effect, ileus, to Ozempic’s label.
—Julia Landwehr, Health, 19 Jan. 2024
The condition, called ileus, occurs when there are problems pushing food through the intestine and can cause build-up and blockage there.
—Staff Author, Verywell Health, 29 Sep. 2023
If left untreated, ileus can cause parts of the intestine to die, leading to major problems or death for patients.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 28 Sep. 2023
Taking the medication could be linked to ileus, a condition where the intestines temporarily stop functioning.
—Julia Landwehr, Health, 4 Oct. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Ileus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ileus. Accessed 5 May. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
ileus
noun
il·e·us
ˈil-ē-əs 
: obstruction of the bowel
specifically
: functional obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract and especially the small intestine that is marked by the absence of peristalsis, is usually accompanied by abdominal pain, bloating, and sometimes nausea and vomiting, and typically occurs following abdominal surgery
called also paralytic ileus
compare volvulusLove words? Need even more definitions?
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