Diagnosis and management of pediatric intestinal pseudo-obstruction: A multidisciplinary approach through a case of perforated appendicitis
Ceyhan Şahin
, Baki Murat Erkoç, Cengiz Gül, Neslihan Gülçin, Mehmet Arpacık
Department of Pediatric Surgery, University of Health Sciences, Ümraniye Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Türkiye.
Keywords: Gastrointestinal motility, ileus, neostigmine, pediatric pseudoobstruction, postoperative complication.
Abstract
Pediatric intestinal pseudo-obstruction (PIPO) is a rare clinical condition characterized by signs of bowel obstruction in the absence of any mechanical narrowing or occlusion of the intestinal lumen, resulting from gastrointestinal motility dysfunction. In approximately 80% of cases, symptoms emerge within the first year of life. The etiology of PIPO may involve genetic predisposition, as well as triggering factors such as infections, surgical procedures, anesthesia, stress, and malnutrition. In this case, PIPO was diagnosed in a patient with prolonged diagnostic delay due to persistent ileus episodes following perforated appendicitis, thanks to a multidisciplinary approach. The patient responded well to neostigmine therapy. In conclusion, this case highlights the late-onset form of PIPO and emphasizes the challenges in the diagnosis and treatment process.
Citation: Şahin C, Erkoç BM, Gül C, Gülçin N, Arpacık M. Diagnosis and management of pediatric intestinal pseudo-obstruction: A multidisciplinary approach through a case of perforated appendicitis. Turkish J Ped Surg 2026;40(2):110-114. doi: 10.62114/JTAPS.2026.153.
The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
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The authors declare that artificial intelligence (AI) tools were not used, or were used solely for language editing, and had no role in data analysis, interpretation, or the formulation of conclusions. All scientific content, data interpretation, and conclusions are the sole responsibility of the authors. The authors further confirm that AI tools were not used to generate, fabricate, or ‘hallucinate’ references, and that all references have been carefully verified for accuracy.
C.S., C.G.: Idea/concept; C.S.: Design; B.M.E., N.G., C.G., M.A.: Control/supervision; CŞ., C.G., N.G., M.A.: Literature review, writing the article, critical review; CS, B.M.E., C.G., N.G., M.A.: References and fundings materials other.
The authors declared no conflicts of interest with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this article.
The authors received no financial support for the research and/or authorship of this article.