Cation exchange resins are commonly used as treatment for hyperkalaemia in patients with chronic renal disease. There is a relation between cation exchange resins and the development of gastrointestinal adverse effects. A case of an intestinal obstruction at the terminal ileum is presented that underwent an ileocolic resection because of a critical stenosis of the intestine. The pathologist revealed abundant inflammatory cells together with deposits of calcium polystyrene crystals responsible of the intestinal obstruction. A rare cause of intestinal obstruction to bear in mind in chronically medicated patients with cation exchange resins.
Keywords: cation exchange resins; chronic; hyperkalemia; intestinal obstruction; polystyrene sulfonic acid; renal insufficiency.
Published by Oxford University Press and JSCR Publishing Ltd. © The Author(s) 2024.