Taking the Idiopathic Out of Intestinal Pseudo-obstruction

Excerpt

The term intestinal pseudo-obstruction describes a group of syndromes found in patients with symptoms that mimic those of organic intestinal obstruction, although no obstructing lesion can be found (1). Abnormalities in the intestinal smooth muscle or in the autonomic nervous system modulation of smooth muscular contraction, which can cause defective intestinal propulsion, apparently cause the symptom complex. But often its cause remains unknown, and as a result the symptom complex has been identified by various names (1). Recent technologic improvements, however, have allowed increased recognition of patients with this syndrome, and improved methods for the study of neuromuscular dysfunction will