A CURABLE CAUSE OF CHRONIC IDIOPATHIC INTESTINAL PSEUDOOBSTRUCTION INCHILDREN - IDIOPATHIC MYOSITIS OF THE SMALL-INTESTINE

We report an intestinal pseudo-obstruction syndrome occurring in a 6-m onth-old infant girl suffering from acquired major and persistent abdo minal distension, which 2 months later required ileostomy. Histologic examination of samples of the small intestine showed considerable infl ammatory reaction in the muscular layers of the intestinal wall. Stero id therapy, begun as soon as the histologic results were known, result ed in recovery. In a similar case, reported previously, steroid therap y used after the lesions had already caused fibrosis and atrophy of th e intestinal wall, proved ineffective. This particular form of pseudo- obstruction is classified as ''idiopathic myositis of the small intest ine.'' It is important to identify the condition because an early cour se of steroid therapy, before the appearance of fibrotic lesions, coul d improve the prognosis.