[Ogilvie's syndrome. A report of 3 cases].
BACKGROUND
Lumbar spine surgery represents a common procedure in Neurosurgery. Ogilvie's Syndrome is an infrequent complication of lumbar disc surgery, characterized by acute paralytic ileum as a result of acute colonic dilatation without mechanical obstruction.


METHODS
We present the clinical data, surgical findings and evolution of three patients operated on for large lumbar disc herniation. They presented with unilateral lumbociatic pain related with physical effort and monoradicular deficit. Diagnosis was established by CT scan and all patients were operated on through a standard laminectomy. Abdominal pain, distention and lack of bowels sounds began on the second postoperatory day. This complication was avoided by conservative treatment and parenteral administration of neostigmine. Ogilvie's Syndrome appeared in 3 cases out of more than 1000 patients undergoing lumbar disc surgery and is characterized by acute colonic dilatation including cecal distention. Other lumbar disc surgery complications such as gastrointestinal perforation, urethral injury or intra-abdominal vessels damage were excluded. Conservative treatment including parenteral neostigmine was always sucessful.
Vega-Basulto
S D
SD
Departamento de Neurocirugía, Hospital Manuel Ascunce Domenech, Camagüey, Cuba.
Mosquera-Betancourt
G
G
Varela Hernández
A
A
D000328:Adult; D002429:Cecal Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003109:Colonic Diseases, Functional / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D003112:Colonic Pseudo-Obstruction / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D007416:Intestinal Perforation / Q000209:etiology; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D009388:Neostigmine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D009388:Neostigmine