Intestinal Pseudoobstruction Caused by Chronic Lyme Neuroborreliosis. A Case Report
July 25, 2015
By David F Schefte and Tyge Nordentoft
Abstract
Chronic intestinal pseudoobstruction is often classified as idiopathic. The condition is associated with poor quality of life and high morbidity, and treatment options are often unsatisfactory.
A case of chronic intestinal pseudoobstruction in a 66-year-old woman, presenting with back and abdominal pain, urinary retention and severe constipation is described. The patient lived in an area in which Lyme disease is endemic and had been bitten by ixodes ticks. Intrathecal synthesis of anti-borrelia IgM and IgG and lymphocytosis in the cerebrospinal fluid was found, consistent with chronic Lyme neuroborreliosis since symptoms had lasted for more than six months.
The patient’s gastrointestinal function recovered and the pain subsided significantly following treatment with antibiotics. Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB) often …
Its important to be consider this diagnosis especially in endemic areas….one of the treatments of chronic constipation,hopefully. when all else fails , is colectomy or a diversionary procedure such as colostomy or ileostomy…both invasive procedures with the former leaving one with no colon. This would be a tragedy if antibiotics could have resulted in a cure.