I experienced a bowel obstruction that resulted in emergency surgery
to correct the problem, and it was indeed a life or
death procedure. However, in my experience, the backward expulsion of fecal matter is such a traumatic experience, the last thing you worry about is a foul breath order. Usually, bowel obstructions are preceded by scar tissue from previous surgery(s) or tumors. In my case, I was a boxer, and blows to the stomach created scar tissue.