Published online Dec 6, 2022. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v10.i34.12623
Peer-review started: June 27, 2022
First decision: September 5, 2022
Revised: September 17, 2022
Accepted: November 7, 2022
Article in press: November 7, 2022
Published online: December 6, 2022
Processing time: 158 Days and 3.4 Hours
Chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction (CIPO) is a syndrome of intestinal motor dysfunction caused by intestinal nerve, muscle, and/or Cajal stromal cell lesions. CIPO is a serious category of gastrointestinal dynamic dysfunction, which can eventually lead to the death of patients with intestinal failure. Due to considerable phenotypic heterogeneity, the estimated incidence of CIPO is 1/476190 and 1/416666 in men and women, respectively. According to the etiology, CIPO can be divided into idiopathic and secondary, of which the latter is the most common, often secondary to tumor, virus infection, connective tissue disease, neurological diseases, and endocrine diseases. Idiopathic CIPO in the intestinal tract is divided into visceral myopathy, neuropathy, and stromal cell lesions according to the location. Surgery is usually not recommended for CIPO, because it often does not benefit patients with CIPO, and postoperative intestinal obstruction is likely to occur, which may even worsen the condition.
Here, we describe the case of a 43-year-old male Han Chinese patient with a 15-year history of recurrent abdominal distention with no clear cause. The results of physical, biochemical, and other relevant examinations showed no clear abnormalities. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) indicated a large duodenum, clear expansion of the intestinal lumen, and CIPO. Whole exome sequencing (WES) of the patient and his mother confirmed the diagnosis of primary familial visceral myopathy type 2 chronic pseudoileus with a rare heterozygous gene mutation in MYH11. This is the second reported case of CIPO with a heterozygous MYH11 [NM_001040113.1: c.5819delC (p.Pro1940Hisfs*91)] mutation.
This case report indicates that physicians can perform routine clinical examinations, CT, and WES to achieve a diagnosis and treatment of CIPO in early disease stages.
Core Tip: Chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction is a rare abdominal disease with high morbidity and mortality. A patient developed abdominal symptoms with no mechanical intestinal obstruction, characterized by symptoms of chronic intestinal obstruction; whole exome sequencing (WES) was performed and revealed a rare autosomal dominant mutation associated with primary familial visceral myopathy type 2, MYH11, NM_001040113.1:c.5819delC (p.Pro1940Hisfs*91), which is a rare heterozygous mutation. In this case, mechanical ileus and secondary causes of pseudoileus were excluded, and the location, nature, and extent of the lesions were determined by small bowel computed tomography examination, and the etiology was determined by WES.