CHRONIC PRIMARY INTESTINAL-PSEUDO-OBSTRUCTION

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  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 89  (2) , 175-182
Abstract
Chronic primary intestinal pseudoobstruction (CPIP) has received increasing attention despite its unclear etiology and infrequent occurrence. Recently a patient with this disorder had evidence of a primary visceral neuropathy. Thirty case reports of CPIP were found while reviewing the literature and their clinicopathologic findings were evaluated. Presenting symptoms and radiologic findings were nonspecific. Esophageal motility was abnormal in 12 of 14 reports. Intestinal histopathology revealed normal muscle wall, mucosa and ganglion cells in over 50% of reports. Only 48% of the cases demonstrated clinical improvement. Thirty percent (8 of 30) ultimately died. CPIP is evidently a perplexing, often fatal entity that can mimic mechanical obstruction in the absence of definite etiology. Primary neurologic or muscular disease may be a possible explanation, but, as yet, definite documentation does not exist.

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