Radiology, Vol 188, 395-398, Copyright © 1993 by Radiological Society of North America
Colonic pseudo-obstruction: decompression with a tricomponent coaxial system under fluoroscopic guidance
GN Bender, DD Do-Dai and LM Briggs
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Madigan Army Medical Center, Ft Lewis, WA 98431-5419.
A tricomponent coaxial system (TAS) suitable for colonic decompression with
fluoroscopic guidance is described. The TAS was successfully used in four
of four patients, two with acute pseudo-obstruction, one with sigmoid
volvulus, and one with recurrent colonic pseudo-obstruction. All patients
had acute abdominal distention with cecal diameter of at least 12 cm, and
nonsurgical management was unsuccessful. Complete colonic decompression was
observed in all four patients, with no recurrence in three of three
patients after removal of the decompression catheter. The decompression
catheter was left in place in one patient for her comfort until she died of
hepatic failure 4 days later. There was no associated colonic bleeding or
perforation in any of the four cases. The procedure lasted approximately
20-90 minutes. The TAS promises to be a useful and inexpensive tool with
which to perform colonic decompression in selected patients.
