title: Acute abdomen in mentally retarded patients: role of aerophagia. Report of nine cases.
abstract: Between 1993 and 1996 nine mentally retarded patients presented because of an acute abdomen. All had the habit of aerophagia, diagnosed previously by a general practitioner. Massive distension of the bowel led to ileus, volvulus, and necrosis. After placement of a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy catheter or performing a gastrostomy during laparotomy with the intention to use as a desufflator, no recurrence of the signs and symptoms of an acute abdomen were observed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University Hospital Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: van der Kolk
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Bender
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Goris
mesh_terms: D000006:Abdomen, Acute / Q000209:etiology*; D000328:Adult; D000334:Aerophagy / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability; D008297:Male