Chronic idiopathic intestinal pseudo-obstruction: a clinical case and review of the literature

The authors report a case characterized by impairment of the intestinal function clinically mimicking a mechanical obstruction in the absence of any occluding lesion of the gut lumen. Different pathological conditions, different clinical syndromes, instrumental approach for the diagnosis as well as medical and surgical treatment of pseudo-obstruction are discussed. Surgery has not been proven to be effective in the clinical management of CIIP for the irreversibility of the myopathic or neuropathic lesions. The most frequent causes of death are unnecessary surgery, ab ingestis pneumonia, cardiac arrest and malnutrition.