COMPLETE CURE OF URINARY AND FECAL INCONTINENCE AFTER INTRAVENOUS VITAMIN-B12 THERAPY IN A PATIENT WITH POST-GASTRECTOMY MEGALOBLASTIC-ANEMIA

The case of a 59-year-old Japanese woman with post-gastrectomy megalob lastic anaemia having urinary and faecal incontinence and paraesthesia in four extremities is described. While the haematological abnormalit ies were improved by administration of a total dose of 17 mg of intram uscular mecobalamin, the neurological abnormalities remained unchanged . Five months later, a total dose of 7.5 mg of mecobalamin was injecte d intravenously over a period of 5 weeks, although the serum level of vitamin B12 was > 1180 pmol l-1. Immediately after initiation of the t herapy, the urinary and faecal incontinence were gradually improved, a nd were completely cured within 2 months. The peripheral neuropathy wa s also ameliorated. The effectiveness of intravenous vitamin B12 injec tion for the neurological abnormalities due to vitamin B12 deficiency is emphasized.