Gretchen Miller suffers from chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction, in the "Six-Organ Transplant" episode of Surgery Saved My Life. Her rare gastrointestinal disorder has led to the failure of many of her vital intestinal organs, requiring major transplant surgery.
What is chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction?
According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, at the National Institutes of Health, chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction (CIP) is a gastrointestinal motility disorder, or a disorder impacting the contraction of muscles in the gastrointestinal tract. This particular condition causes symptoms like those of a bowel obstruction or blockage. However, no obstruction is found when the intestines are examined. A miscommunication between muscles and nerves in the intestines causes the problem.
Signs and Symptoms:
*Cramps
*Stomach pain
*Nausea
*Vomiting
*Bloating
*Fewer bowel movements than usual
*Loose stools
As seen in Gretchen's case, over time pseudo-obstruction can cause bacterial infections, malnutrition and muscle problems in other parts of the body. In some cases, the cause of CIP is unknown, occurring at birth in some children. In others, a disease impacting muscles and nerves, such as Parkinson's, or certain medications can lead to symptoms. This condition is called secondary pseudo-obstruction.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Diagnosis of CIP can be difficult, since its symptoms mimic other gastrointestinal disorders. Doctors will most likely take X-rays to look for a blockage and perform a test called manometry to measure patterns and pressure in the intestinal tract.
The main treatment is nutritional support to prevent malnutrition, whether through liquid diet or intravenous tubes. One such treatment is called total parenteral nutrition (TPN), which involves surgically implanting a plastic tube into a vein near the heart to pump in nutrients. Treatment may also include antibiotics to fight bacterial infections as a result of feeding via TPN. Gretchen was fighting off life-threatening bacteria and had to under go two heart surgeries as a result of TPN, even thought it was the only thing keeping her alive.
