title: Psychiatric drug-induced fatal abdominal compartment syndrome.
abstract: Several drugs used in psychiatry may induce constipation, paralytic ileus, or acute megacolon (Ogilvie's syndrome). We report here 2 cases of patients presenting with fatal abdominal compartment syndrome related to the absorption of antidepressants and benzodiazepines. Two patients (a 27-year-old man and a 57-year-old woman) with a previous psychiatric history and treatment with psychiatric drugs were admitted to the emergency department for coma. Both presented hypothermia; a hard, distended abdomen; and ischemia of the lower limbs. In both cases, the abdominal scan showed massive colonic dilatation without mechanical obstruction; there was even aortic compression and ischemia of the abdominal viscera. Emergency laparotomy with bowel decompression was performed in both cases, but multiple organ failure led to death in both patients. Psychiatric drugs may induce acute severe megacolon with life-threatening abdominal compartment syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University Hospital of Dijon, Dijon, France.
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jambet
authors.forename: Boris
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Guiu
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Olive-Abergel
authors.forename: Aurélie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grandvuillemin
authors.forename: Jean-Michel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Yeguiayan
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ortega-Deballon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D059325:Intra-Abdominal Hypertension / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008532:Megacolon, Toxic / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D001569:Benzodiazepines