[Acute colonic pseudo-obstruction or Ogilvie syndrome]

Acute colonic pseudo-obstruction is a clinical condition with the symptoms, signs and radiological appearances of acute large bowel obstruction but without any apparent mechanical cause. The mortality rate for patients undergoing surgery was 57%. The incidence of caecal-perforation was 1 for 7 patients. The pathogenesis of the syndrome is unknown but in more then 80% of cases many conditions that have been associated with this syndrome. The efficacy of prepulsid agents for the treatment of syndrome remains to be assessed in a controlled study. In our patients clinical observation, radiologic studies and direct observation during several hours of surgery had shown a complete lack of propulsive motility within of the large bowel. This can be related to the ganglionitis and later to the aganglionosis of the mesenteric plexus.