title: Unusual gastrointestinal complications in neurosurgery.
abstract: Nine neurosurgical patients with unusual gastrointestinal complications are presented. Their diagnostic clinical features, as well as pitfalls in their diagnosis are highlighted. A high index of clinical suspicion of these unusual complications is important as patients' decreased level of consciousness and concomitant steroid therapy often complicates the clinical presentation. Progressive abdominal distension and absent or sluggish bowel sounds were the most consistent clinical features in comatose patients with peritonitis, whereas, high fever and markedly elevated white cell counts were often absent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Hong Kong.
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Mann
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Y W
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Fan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003128:Coma / Q000209:etiology; D005334:Fever / Q000209:etiology; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008875:Middle Aged; D009493:Neurosurgery; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D013256:Steroids / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D013256:Steroids