Skip to main content
PMC home page
Gut logoLink to Gut
. 1970 Sep;11(9):764–767. doi: 10.1136/gut.11.9.764

Intestinal pseudo-obstruction in systemic amyloidosis

David A Legge, Eric E Wollaeger, Harley C Carlson
PMCID: PMC1553120  PMID: 5473607

Abstract

The occurrence of clinical manifestations of mechanical intestinal obstruction in eight cases of systemic amyloidosis is reported. Seven similar cases have been recorded in the literature and are briefly reviewed. Correct diagnosis is important in these cases if useless surgical treatment or prolonged diagnostic investigations are to be avoided. Gastrointestinal involvement by systemic amyloidosis should be considered in a patient presenting with clinical manifestations of mechanical obstruction but paralytic ileus seen on plain films. In these cases an attempt should be made, by means of a barium enema, to exclude an obstructing lesion of the colon or distal small bowel. Once amyloidosis is considered, it can be confirmed easily and safely by biopsy of the rectal or small-intestinal mucosa.

Full text

PDF
766

Images in this article

765Fig. 1
on p.765
765Fig. 2
on p.765
766Fig. 3
on p.766

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. AKBARIAN M., FENTON J. PERFORATION OF SMALL BOWEL IN AMYLOIDOSIS; INCLUDES REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE. Arch Intern Med. 1964 Dec;114:815–821. doi: 10.1001/archinte.1964.03860120127016. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. BRODY I. A., WERTLAKE P. T., LASTER L. CAUSES OF INTESTINAL SYMPTOMS IN PRIMARY AMYLOIDOSIS. Arch Intern Med. 1964 Apr;113:512–518. doi: 10.1001/archinte.1964.00280100020004. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. BROWN J. PRIMARY AMYLOIDOSIS. Clin Radiol. 1964 Oct;15:358–367. doi: 10.1016/s0009-9260(64)80017-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. COOLEY R. N. Primary amyloidosis with involvement of the stomach. Am J Roentgenol Radium Ther Nucl Med. 1953 Sep;70(3):428–436. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. FENTEM P. H., TURNBERG L. A., WORMSLEY K. G. Biopsy of the rectum as an aid to the diagnosis of amyloidosis. Br Med J. 1962 Feb 10;1(5275):364–367. doi: 10.1136/bmj.1.5275.364. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. GOLDEN R. Amyloidosis of the small intestine. Am J Roentgenol Radium Ther Nucl Med. 1954 Sep;72(3):401–411. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. GREEN P. A., HIGGINS J. A., BROWN A. L., Jr, HOFFMAN H. N., 2nd, SOMMER VILLE R. L. Amyloidosis: appraisal of intubation biopsy of the small intestine in diagnosis. Gastroenterology. 1961 Nov;41:452–456. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Gilat T., Revach M., Sohar E. Deposition of amyloid in the gastrointestinal tract. Gut. 1969 Feb;10(2):98–104. doi: 10.1136/gut.10.2.98. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Gilat T., Spiro H. M. Amyloidosis and the gut. Am J Dig Dis. 1968 Jul;13(7):619–633. doi: 10.1007/BF02232969. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. KORELITZ B. I., SPINDELL L. N. Gastrointestinal amyloidosis; report of a case and review of the clinical and radiological aspects. J Mt Sinai Hosp N Y. 1956 Sep-Oct;23(5):683–696. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Stephens F. O. Syndrome of Intestinal Pseudo-obstruction. Br Med J. 1962 May 5;1(5287):1248–1238.2. doi: 10.1136/bmj.1.5287.1248. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. TREACY W. L., BUNTING W. L., GAMBILL E. E., CODE C. F. Scleroderma presenting as obstruction of the small bowel. Proc Staff Meet Mayo Clin. 1962 Nov 7;37:607–616. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Gut are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES