National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences

Intestinal pseudoobstruction neuronal chronic idiopathic X-linked



Other Names:
IPOX; Congenital idiopathic intestinal pseudoobstruction; CIIP; IPOX; Congenital idiopathic intestinal pseudoobstruction; CIIP; CIIP X-linked; CIIPX See More

Intestinal pseudo-obstruction is a condition characterized by impairment of the muscle contractions that move food through the digestive tract. The condition may arise from abnormalities of the gastrointestinal muscles themselves (myogenic) or from problems with the nerves that control the muscle contractions (neurogenic). When intestinal pseudo-obstruction occurs by itself, it is called primary or idiopathic (unknown cause) intestinal pseudo-obstruction. The disorder can also develop as a complication of another medical condition; in these cases, it is called secondary intestinal pseudo-obstruction. Individuals with this condition have symptoms that resemble those of an intestinal blockage (obstruction) but without any obstruction. It may be acute or chronic and is characterized by the presence of dilation of the bowel on imaging. The causes may be unknown or due to alterations (mutations) in the FLNA gene, other genes or are secondary to other conditions. It may be inherited in some cases. Intestinal pseudoobstruction neuronal chronic idiopathic X-linked is caused by alterations (mutations) in the FLNA gene which is located in the X chromosome.[1][2] There is no specific treatment but several medications and procedures may be used to treat the symptoms.[3]
Last updated: 7/17/2015

This table lists symptoms that people with this disease may have. For most diseases, symptoms will vary from person to person. People with the same disease may not have all the symptoms listed. This information comes from a database called the Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) . The HPO collects information on symptoms that have been described in medical resources. The HPO is updated regularly. Use the HPO ID to access more in-depth information about a symptom.

Showing of 21 |
Medical Terms Other Names
Learn More:
HPO ID
5%-29% of people have these symptoms
Congenital shortened small intestine 0030889
Hydronephrosis 0000126
Pyloric stenosis 0002021
Seizure 0001250
Spastic diplegia 0001264
Percent of people who have these symptoms is not available through HPO
Abdominal distention
Abdominal bloating
Abdominal swelling
Belly bloating
Bloating
[ more ]
0003270
Abnormal facial shape
Unusual facial appearance
0001999
Downslanted palpebral fissures
Downward slanting of the opening between the eyelids
0000494
Feeding difficulties in infancy 0008872
Hypertelorism
Wide-set eyes
Widely spaced eyes
[ more ]
0000316
Increased mean platelet volume
Large platelets
0011877
Increased size of the mandible 0040309
Infantile onset
Onset in first year of life
Onset in infancy
[ more ]
0003593
Intestinal malrotation 0002566
Intestinal pseudo-obstruction 0004389
Low-set ears
Low set ears
Lowset ears
[ more ]
0000369
Patent ductus arteriosus 0001643
Smooth philtrum 0000319
Thrombocytopenia
Low platelet count
0001873
Vomiting
Throwing up
0002013
X-linked recessive inheritance 0001419
Showing of 21 |
Last updated: 7/1/2020

Making a diagnosis for a genetic or rare disease can often be challenging. Healthcare professionals typically look at a person’s medical history, symptoms, physical exam, and laboratory test results in order to make a diagnosis. The following resources provide information relating to diagnosis and testing for this condition. If you have questions about getting a diagnosis, you should contact a healthcare professional.

Testing Resources

  • The Genetic Testing Registry (GTR) provides information about the genetic tests for this condition. The intended audience for the GTR is health care providers and researchers. Patients and consumers with specific questions about a genetic test should contact a health care provider or a genetics professional.

If you need medical advice, you can look for doctors or other healthcare professionals who have experience with this disease. You may find these specialists through advocacy organizations, clinical trials, or articles published in medical journals. You may also want to contact a university or tertiary medical center in your area, because these centers tend to see more complex cases and have the latest technology and treatments.

If you can’t find a specialist in your local area, try contacting national or international specialists. They may be able to refer you to someone they know through conferences or research efforts. Some specialists may be willing to consult with you or your local doctors over the phone or by email if you can't travel to them for care.

You can find more tips in our guide, How to Find a Disease Specialist. We also encourage you to explore the rest of this page to find resources that can help you find specialists.

Healthcare Resources


These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

Where to Start

  • MedlinePlus was designed by the National Library of Medicine to help you research your health questions, and it provides more information about this topic.

In-Depth Information

  • The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.
  • Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) is a catalog of human genes and genetic disorders. Each entry has a summary of related medical articles. It is meant for health care professionals and researchers. OMIM is maintained by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. 
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Intestinal pseudoobstruction neuronal chronic idiopathic X-linked. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

Questions sent to GARD may be posted here if the information could be helpful to others. We remove all identifying information when posting a question to protect your privacy. If you do not want your question posted, please let us know.


  1. Intestinal pseudo-obstruction. Genetics Home Reference. October, 2010; http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/intestinal-pseudo-obstruction#definition. Accessed 7/17/2015.
  2. Camilleri M. Chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction. UpToDate. July 29, 2013; http://www.uptodate.com/contents/chronic-intestinal-pseudo-obstruction. Accessed 7/17/2015.
  3. Angkathunyakul N, Treepongkaruna S, Molagool S & Ruangwattanapaisarn N. Abnormal layering of muscularis propria as a cause of chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction: A case report and literature review. World J Gastroenterol. June 14, 2015; 21(22):7059-7064. http://www-ncbi-nlm-nih-gov.ezproxy.nihlibrary.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4462749/. Accessed 7/17/2015.