Bowel obstruction or intestinal obstruction is a mechanical or functional obstruction of the intestines, preventing the normal transit of the products of digestion. It can occur at any level distal to the duodenum of the small intestine and is a medical emergency. The condition is often treated conservatively over a period of 2–5 days with the patient's progress regularly monitored by an assigned physician. Surgical procedures are performed on occasion however, in life-threatening cases, such as when the root cause is a fully lodged foreign object or malignant tumor.