[Ogilvie's syndrome following cesarean section: Just think! Report of two cases and review of the literature].

OBJECTIVES

To identify clinical and radiological signs of the post-cesarean Ogilvie's syndrome in order to establish the appropriate treatment.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

Based on the Medline research, we listed 41 cases of Ogilvie's syndrome after cesarean section. We analyzed the patient's age, the clinical and radiological signs, the time to diagnosis, and the treatments and their efficiency.

RESULTS

The clinical signs generally appear in the first 72 h after cesarean. Diagnosis of Ogilvie's syndrome is based on a clinical picture of acute obstruction of the large bowel and by X-ray showing a large caecum without pathological lesion. If the caecal diameter is under 12 cm, conservative treatment is done with colonoscopic decompression when necessary, however if there are signs of peritonitis surgery is recommended.

CONCLUSION

Ogilvie's syndrome after cesarean section is uncommon. Diagnosis must be fast in order to avoid the caecum to burst causing faecal peritonitis, which carries slight mortality rate.