Title: Intestinal atony in progressive systemic sclerosis (scleroderma)
Abstract: Small bowel involvement in systemic sclerosis is common, but grossly impaired peristalsis resulting in intestinal atony develops in only a small number of patients. This report describes such a patient who experienced repeated episodes of nausea, emesis and abdominal distention and in whom refractory stasis of intestinal contents with severe malabsorption ultimately developed. Excessive enteric protein loss was demonstrated by a Cr51-albumin test. Electron microscopic studies of the jejunum revealed atrophy of smooth muscle associated with striking collagen deposition and a marked paucity of smooth muscle nexuses (cell junctions). It is suggested that the extensive fibrosis and loss of muscle cell to muscle cell contact resulted in nonsynchronized muscular contractions and the development of intestinal dilatation and atony.
Publication Year: 1968
Publication Date: 1968-08-01
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref', 'pubmed']
Access and Citation
Cited By Count: 52
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