Korean J Gastrointest Motil.  2002 Nov;8(2):202-207.

A Very Rare Cause of Chronic Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction: Sopradic Visceral Myopathy

Affiliations
  • 1Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea. sjm5675@amc.seoul.kr
  • 2Department of Surgery, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
  • 3Department of Clinical Pathology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract

Chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction syndrome (CIPS) is a rare clinical condition in which impaired intestinal propulsion causes recurrent symptoms of bowel obstruction in the absence of mechanical obstruction. CIPS can be present as either primary or secondary although the latter is rare in children compared with adults. The primary abnormality consists of a degeneration of either the muscularis propria (visceral myopathy), or the myenteric plexus (visceral neuropathy). A 19 year old woman was recently admitted with recurrent abdominal distension and diarrhea. An abdominal plain X-ray revealed a marked dilated stomach and duodenum with some air-fluid levels. A small bowel series showed a diffusely dilated small bowel with multifocal angulation and spiculation. Computed tomograpy also revealed a dilated small bowel and distal ileal wall thickening. The patient was treated by duodenojejunostomy and ileal resection. Histologically the intestine showed thinning of the proper muscle layer with degeneration of smooth muscle cells replaced by fibrosis. Based on the specific histopathologic finding, in addition to the clinical history, physical finding and radiological evaluation, a diagnosis of sporadic visceral myopathy was rendered. The patient was treated through total parenteral nutrition with neostigmine, prokinetics, octreotide, and erythromycin postoperatively. However, she underwent ileostomy due to poor response from these therapies. After ileostomy, she improved without a recurrence of severe symptoms.

Keyword

Chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction; Sporadic visceral myopathy; Abdominal distension

MeSH Terms

Adult
Child
Diagnosis
Diarrhea
Duodenum
Erythromycin
Female
Fibrosis
Humans
Ileostomy
Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction*
Intestines
Myenteric Plexus
Myocytes, Smooth Muscle
Neostigmine
Octreotide
Parenteral Nutrition, Total
Recurrence
Stomach
Young Adult
Erythromycin
Neostigmine
Octreotide
Full Text Links
  • KJGM
Actions
Cited
CITED
export Copy
Close
Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
Similar articles
Copyright © 2024 by Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors. All rights reserved.     E-mail: koreamed@kamje.or.kr