The Open Gastroenterology Journal

2008, 2 : 9-10
Published online 2008 January 28. DOI: 10.2174/1874259900802010009
Publisher ID: TOGASJ-2-9

Colonic Pseudo-Obstruction

Roopa Kohli-Seth , Martin Lee , Shalini Arora and Ernest Benjamin
Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Critical Care Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital, One Gustave L. Levy Place, P.O. Box 1264, New York, NY 10029-6574, USA.

ABSTRACT

Acute colonic pseudo-obstruction (Ogilvie's syndrome) is a disorder characterized by gross dilatation of colon in the absence of an obstructing anatomic lesion. The precise etiology by which colonic dilation occurs is not fully understood. It generally develops in hospitalized patients and is associated with a wide variety of medical and surgical conditions. Most cases respond to conservative management. We describe a case of a 42 year old female with massive colonic dilation and no obstructing lesions. She developed respiratory failure due to severe abdominal distension. Overnight nasogastric decompression along with repletion of potassium led to complete resolution of abdominal distension and respiratory failure.