Retroperitoneal fibrosis and methsergide. Report of three cases.

Abstract

Reports (1–6) of a suspected causal relationship between therapy with methysergide3 and the occurrence of retroperitoneal fibrosis (R.F.) prompted us to record three such cases recently observed. The first case has several points of interest: (a) associated arterial constriction that was proved to be due to the fibrotic stricture; (b) recognition of retroperitoneal fibrosis after the shortest recorded period of administration of methysergide; (c) postoperative continuation on methysergide without recurrent retroperitoneal fibrosis. In the second and third cases severe ureteral obstruction was relieved without surgery. In the first and third cases the deceptive nature of retroperitoneal fibrosis was demonstrated at the time of ureteral catheterization. The cause of the disorder is not known, but in many of the reported cases methysergide was certainly not administered since the drug had not yet become available (7). The actual nature of the process producing retroperitoneal fibrosis is also unknown, but a ...