2022 Volume 64 Issue 9 Pages 1564-1571
Two cases of extreme hypermagnesemia occurred after administration of bowel preparation with magnesium citrate for colonoscopy. Neither patient had renal dysfunction but both had a history of bowel resection for treatment of colorectal cancer. Each patient presented with bowel obstruction secondary to fecal impaction at the rectal anastomosis or severe anastomotic stricture at the sigmoid colon. The hypermagnesemia improved in each with the successful release of the bowel obstruction by digital disimpaction or balloon dilation under systemic management. In a patient with a possible intestinal obstruction, the risk of hypermagnesemia incidence with bowel preparation with magnesium products should be considered regardless of renal function.
