Nationwide survey on adult type chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction in surgical institutions in Japan

No appropriate management of chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction (CIP) has been established.

The clinicopathological parameters of 103 cases collected by a nationwide questionnaire study were reviewed.

The CIP cases were primary in 86 (83%) cases and secondary in 15 (15%) cases. The age of onset of the primary type was significantly younger than that of the secondary type (p = 0.011). The diseased segments of the bowel were the large bowel in 60 (58%), the small bowel in 17 (17%), and both in 23 (22%) cases, respectively. Abdominal distension and pain were common symptoms regardless of the types of the diseased bowel; however, constipation was frequently seen in the large bowel type (p = 0.0258). Vomiting and diarrhea were seen with marginally higher frequency in the small bowel type (p = 0.0569, 0.0642). Surgical treatment was most effective in the large bowel type, less effective in the small bowel type, and least effective in the large and small bowel type. The prognosis of the primary CIP was significantly better than that of the secondary CIP (p = 0.033).

The segments of the diseased bowels should be considered in determining the indications for surgical treatments in CIP patients.