Intestinal pseudo-obstruction (Ogilvie's syndrome) in theophylline overdose

Intestinal pseudo-obstruction (Ogilvie's syndrome) has previously been reported in 2 patients with theophylline toxicity treated with activated charcoal (AC), mechanical ventilation and opioid induced sedation. We report a case of Ogilvie's syndrome in a theophylline toxic patient treated with AC. A 45-y-old male with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease presented with vomiting and multifocal atrial tachycardia after an intentional theophylline overdose. His initial potassium concentration was 2.7 mEq/L and his theophylline was 191 mg/L (1060 mu mol/L). The patient was hemodialyzed and given a total of 1,000 g of AC without cathartics during the first hospital day. He also received iv potassium replacement. On the second hospital day he required mechanical ventilation for respiratory acidosis. Clindamycin was given for purulent sputum and fever. Haloperidol was given to treat agitation. No other anticholinergic agents or opioids were given. The patient's potassium rose to 6.5 mEq/L and he was given kayexalate. During the third hospital day the patient developed abdominal distention, tenderness and leukocytosis. Abdominal radiographs revealed a distended cecum. In the operating room the cecum was found dilated to 16 cm with no distal obstruction. A cecostomy tube drained AC and pill fragments. A 6 cm charcoal bezoar was found in the stomach. The patient recovered uneventfully.