CHRONIC IMPAIRMENT OF INTESTINAL MOTILITY WITH DIL

CHRONIC IMPAIRMENT OF INTESTINAL MOTILITY WITH DILATATION OF THE SMALL INTESTINE: INTESTINAL PSEUDO OBSTRUCTION Definition

Intestinal pseudo-obstruction (IPO) is defined as: A clinical syndrome caused by severe impairment of intestinal motility leading to small intestinal dilatation in the absence of a mechanical cause. The term ‘chronic’ is sometimes added for clarity . CHRONIC IMPAIRMENT OF INTESTINAL MOTILITY WITH DILATATION OF THE LARGE INTESTINE: MEGACOLON AND MEGARECTUM Definition

Chronic dilatation in the absence of a mechanically obstruct - ing cause can be focused in the colon (megacolon) or rectum (megarectum), although in practice these commonly overlap ( Figure 73.8 ). Megacolon may also accompany some forms of IPO in patients found to have chronic small and large intestinal dilatation. Toxic megacolon refers to an acute condition in which acute inflammation leads to a loss of compliance and rapid dilatation (it has nothing in common other than the name).