Surreptitious Ipecac Administration Simulating Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction
Authors: William C. Santangelo
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1989)

Brief Reports15 June 1989Surreptitious Ipecac Administration Simulating Intestinal Pseudo-ObstructionWilliam C. Santangelo, MD, James E. Richey, MD, Lydia Rivera, BS, John S. Fordtran, MDWilliam C. Santangelo, MD, James E. Richey, MD, Lydia Rivera, BS, John S. Fordtran, MDAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-110-12-1031 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptSurreptitious administration of ipecac, presumably by a mother to her mentally retarded son, caused an illness that resembled intestinal pseudo-obstruction.Case ReportAn 18-year-old white man with modest mental retardation due to pseudo-pseudohypoparathyroidism was referred to Baylor Hospital in June 1988 for evaluation of nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Until age 15 he attended school for the handicapped and participated in Boy Scouts. He then developed difficulty in urinating (and ultimately required daily catheterization), vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and fecal incontinence. After several evaluations at different medical centers, a diagnosis of intestinal pseudo-obstruction was made. A feeding gastrostomy was placed with...References1. SchillerDavisSanta AnaMorawskiFordtran LGCSJ. Studies of the mechanism of the antidiarrheal effect of codeine., J Clin Invest. 1982;70:999-1008. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. FaulkAnurasChristensen DSJ. Chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction. Gastroenterology. 1978;74:922-31. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. AckermanStrobel NC. Polle syndrome: chronic diarrhea in Münchhausen's child. Gastroenterology. 1981;81:1140-2. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. PickeringKohl LS. Münchhausen syndrome by proxy [Letter]. Am J Dis Child. 1981;135:288. Google Scholar5. TandbergLiechtyFishbein DED. Mallory-Weiss syndrome: an unusual complication of ipecac-induced emesis. Ann Emerg Med. 1981;10:521-3. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar6. WolowodiukMcMickenO'Brien ODP. Pneumomediastinum and retropneumoperitoneum: an unusual complication of syrup-of-ipecac-induced emesis. Ann Emerg Med. 1984;13:1148-51. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar7. MannoManno BJ. Toxicology of ipecac: a review. Clin Toxicol. 1977;10:221-42. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar8. Moldawsky R. Myopathy and ipecac abuse in a bulimic patient. Psychosomatics. 1983;26:448-9. CrossrefGoogle Scholar9. PelliniWallace EG. The pharmacology of emetine. Am J Med Science. 1916;152:325-36. CrossrefGoogle Scholar10. BrushwoodTietze DK. Regulatory controversy surrounding ipecac use and misuse. Am J Hosp Pharm. 1986;43:157-61. MedlineGoogle Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: William C. Santangelo, MD; James E. Richey, MD; Lydia Rivera, BS; John S. Fordtran, MDAffiliations: From Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, Texas and Conemaugh Valley Memorial Hospital, Johnstown, Pennsylvania. For current author addresses, see end of text. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited byPosition paper update: ipecac syrup for gastrointestinal decontaminationFactitious DiarrheaPediatric ToxicologyIs Syrup of Ipecac Still for Sale? Comparison of Pharmacies in a Large Urban Area—2003 Versus 2005Factitious Disease: Clinical Lessons from Case Studies at Baylor University Medical CenterGuideline on the Use of Ipecac Syrup in the Out-of-Hospital Management of Ingested PoisonsColonic Toxicity of Administered Drugs and ChemicalsPosition Paper: Ipecac SyrupFactitious Diarrhea: A Case of Watery DeceptionSingle Dose Pharmacokinetics of Syrup of IpecacSecretory Diarrhea Caused by Ipecac PoisoningDiagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction in Children: Report of Consensus WorkshopIntestinal motility and jejunal feeding in children with chronic intestinal pseudo-obstructionA 3-Year-Old Boy's Chronic Diarrhea and Unexplained Death 15 June 1989Volume 110, Issue 12Page: 1031-1032KeywordsChromatographyDiarrheaGastroenterology and hepatologyHospital medicineIncontinenceIntellectual disabilityMedical servicesNauseaUrinationVomiting ePublished: 1 December 2008 Issue Published: 15 June 1989 PDF downloadLoading ...