OGILVIE SYNDROME

Course overview

ACUTE COLONIC PSEUDO-OBSTRUCTION (ACPO), KNOWN AS OGILVIE SYNDROME, IS A DISTINCT FORM OF COLONIC DILATATION OCCURRING IN THE ABSENCE OF UNDERLYING MECHANICAL OR ANATOMIC ETIOLOGY. DILATATION OF THE BOWEL IS CLASSICALLY CONFINED TO THE CECUM AND ASCENDING COLON WITH TRANSITION NEAR THE SPLENIC FLEXURE. IT IS MOST COMMONLY ENCOUNTERED IN OLDER ADULTS WITH MULTIPLE UNDERLYING COMORBIDITIES BUT MAY ALSO DEVELOP IN OTHERWISE HEALTHY PATIENTS AFTER A TRAUMATIC INJURY OR FOLLOWING A SURGICAL OPERATION. THIS ACTIVITY ILLUSTRATES THE EVALUATION AND TREATMENT OF OGILVIE SYNDROME AND REVIEWS THE ROLE OF INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM MEMBERS IN MANAGING THOSE WITH THIS CONDITION.