OGILVIE SYNDROME AFTER EMERGENCY CESAREAN SECTION: A CASE REPORT

Abstract

Ogilvies syndrome describes an acute colonic pseudo-obstruction (ACPO) consisting of dilatation of part or all of the colon and rectum without intrinsic or extrinsic mechanical obstruction. It often occurs in debilitated patients. Its pathophysiology is still poorly understood. Several theories have been incriminated: nervous, vascular, hormonal,medicinal,metabolic disorder, infectious…Since computed tomography (CT) often reveals a sharp transition or cut-off between dilated and non-dilated bowel, the possibility of organic colonic obstruction must be excluded. If there are no criteria of gravity, initial treatment should be conservative or pharmacologic using neostigmine decompression of colonic gas is also a favored treatment. Surgery should be considered only as a final option if medical treatments fail or if colonic perforation is suspected. We report a case of colonic pseudo-obstruction (or Ogilvie syndrome), after caesarean section, treated medically and by colonoscopicexsufflation.