INTESTINAL PSEUDOOBSTRUCTION SYNDROME IN A CHILD WITH MYOTONIC-DYSTROPHY

Gastrointestinal symptoms in myotonic dystrophy are increasingly obser ved, but major intestinal movement disorders such as intestinal pseudo -obstruction appear to be an infrequent complication. We describe a 13 -year-old boy who, after appendectomy, developed intestinal pseudo-obs truction syndrome as the first clinical manifestation of myotonic dyst rophy. He developed several similar episodes thereafter, which respond ed to conservative measures. When a child with myotonic dystrophy pres ents with an ileus, the diagnosis of intestinal pseudo-obstruction sho uld be considered and therapy should then be conservative.