LEADING ARTICLE

Advances in our understanding of the pathology of chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction

R De Giorgio¹, G Sarnelli², R Corinaldesi¹, V Stanghellini¹

¹ Department of Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
² Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University "Federico II", Naples, Italy

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr R De Giorgio
Department of Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology, St Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Via Massarenti, 9, I-40138 Bologna, Italy; deg{at}orsola-malpighi.med.unibo.it

Chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction (CIP) represents a particularly difficult clinical challenge. It is a rare and highly morbid syndrome characterised by impaired gastrointestinal propulsion together with symptoms and signs of bowel obstruction in the absence of any lesions occluding the gut lumen. CIP can be classified as either "secondary" to a wide array of recognised pathological conditions or "idiopathic" (CIIP). This review will focus on CIIP, and specifically on the underlying pathological abnormalities. Combined clinical and histopathological studies are needed to highlight new perspectives in the understanding and management of chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction.

Abbreviations: ANNA-1, antineuronal nuclear antibodies; BCL-2, B cell lymphoma-2; CIP, chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction; CIIP, chronic intestinal idiopathic pseudo-obstruction; ICC, interstitial cells of Cajal; ENS, enteric nervous system

Keywords: enteric nervous system; enteric neuromyopathies; interstitial cells of Cajal; laparoscopy

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

Relevant Article

Deranged smooth muscle -actin as a biomarker of intestinal pseudo-obstruction: a controlled multinational case series

C H Knowles, D B A Silk, A Darzi, B Veress, R Feakins, A H Raimundo, T Crompton, E C Browning, G Lindberg, and J E Martin
Gut 2004 53: 1583-1589. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Youssef, H., Rashid, S. H, Cellador, E. C., Baragwanath, P. (2009). Small bowel volvulus in a patient with chronic idiopathic intestinal pseudo-obstruction. BMJ Case Reports 2009: bcr1120081266-bcr1120081266 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Giordano, C., Sebastiani, M., De Giorgio, R., Travaglini, C., Tancredi, A., Valentino, M. L., Bellan, M., Cossarizza, A., Hirano, M., d'Amati, G., Carelli, V. (2008). Gastrointestinal Dysmotility in Mitochondrial Neurogastrointestinal Encephalomyopathy Is Caused by Mitochondrial DNA Depletion. Am. J. Pathol. 173: 1120-1128 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Johnson, C. S., Fales-Williams, A. J., Reimer, S. B., Lotsikas, P. J., Haynes, J. S. (2007). Fibrosing Gastrointestinal Leiomyositis as a Cause of Chronic Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction in an 8-Month-Old Dog. Vet Pathol 44: 106-109 [Abstract] [Full Text]