Abstract

BAUTISTA LEON, José Nicolás; MAYO VAZQUEZ, Fabiola del Carmen  and  CALDERON LOPEZ, Laura Mariela. Radiological findings in pseudo-intestinal obstruction due to systemic lupus erythematosus. A case report. Rev. Fac. Med. (Méx.) [online]. 2019, vol.62, n.5, pp.11-15.  Epub Jan 12, 2021. ISSN 2448-4865.  https://doi.org/10.22201/fm.24484865e.2019.62.5.03.

The pseudo-intestinal obstruction (PIO) is an uncommon complication due to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and its diagnosis can be challenging, especially when trying to differentiate it from other abdominal diseases. Clinical manifestations are caused by muscular, vascular and nervous damage of the intestinal walls, causing hypomotility and symptoms of obstruction. This paper reports the case of a 19 year-old woman who first manifested abdominal pain, abdominal distention and vomits, plus she had a history of inferior vena cava thrombosis and lupus. An abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan showed intestinal distention, PIO, ascites and right hydronephrosis, therefore the diagnosis of a real obstruction was rejected, and surgical intervention was avoided. The patient was treated with steroids. The response to the treatment was good, the patient went into remission, and was discharged from the hospital. 12 months later, no complications were reported. SLE with PIO is hard to detect, but the proper identification and correlation of the semiology of the case with the immunological and imaging data was decisive in the differential diagnosis with other abdominal diseases, such as the intestinal obstruction.

Keywords : Pseudo-intestinal obstruction; systemic lupus erythe-matosus; gastrointestinal symptoms.