Adhesion ileus in patient with previous diagnosis of Ogilvie's syndrome

A case of a 72-year-old man with abdominal pain and ileus is reported. Previous surgery for Ogilvie's syndrome had been performed. Despite conservative therapy, the occlusive symptoms worsen. Therefore the patient was submitted to surgery. At laparotomy two abdominal adhesions were found and sectioned. The differential diagnosis between mechanical ileus and pseudoobstruction for neuro-mechanics dissociation (Ogilvie's syndrome) is difficult, particularly in patients with neurodegenerative diseases.