Acute Intestinal Obstruction Due to Intestinal Anisakiasis Resolved with Conservative Therapy

Abstract

Intestinal anisakiasis is rarely diagnosed because it is thought to be uncommon and is poorly recognized. It produces severe abdominal pain and an inflammatory reaction often resulting in reactive intestinal obstruction, which is sometimes treated with an unnecessary laparotomy as acute abdomen or intestinal obstruction. We reported a 58-year-old female with acute intestinal obstruction caused by intestinal anisakiasis, which resulted in a self-limiting clinical course. The diagnosis was based on a history of recent ingestion of raw fish and abdominal computed tomographic findings of partial thickening of the intestinal wall accompanied by focal luminal narrowing with ascites. In spite of the severity of the abdominal pain, the bowel obstruction induced by inflammation and edema was resolved with conservative treatment after three weeks. Accordingly, intestinal anisakiasis was considered in the differential diagnosis of intestinal obstruction, which can be treated with conservative therapy.