J Korean Soc Emerg Med.  2018 Oct;29(5):551-556. 10.0000/jksem.2018.29.5.551.

Repeated gastric dilatations leading to fatal abdominal compartment syndrome in a patient with bulimia nervosa

• Han SB
• Durey A
• Lee SJ
• Seo YH
• Kim JH

• KMID: 2435479
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.0000/jksem.2018.29.5.551

Abstract

Cases of repeated acute gastric dilatations after binge eating in one patient are rarely reported. We report here a case of repeated acute gastric dilatations in a 22-year-old woman with bulimia nervosa. Her repeated acute gastric dilatations seem to have been related to superior mesenteric artery syndrome. On her last visit due to acute gastric dilatation, she underwent emergency gastric decompression surgery because of abdominal compartment syndrome; however, she eventually died because of ischemia reperfusion injury. Emergency physicians should be aware of the need to manage acute gastric dilatation in patients with eating disorder and should pay attention to the signs and distinctive clinical features of abdominal compartment syndrome.

Keyword

Bulimia nervosa; Gastric dilatation; Superior mesenteric artery syndrome; Reperfusion injury

MeSH Terms

Bulimia Nervosa*
Bulimia*
Decompression
Dilatation*
Eating
Emergencies
Female
Gastric Dilatation
Humans
Intra-Abdominal Hypertension*
Reperfusion Injury
Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome
Young Adult