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Acute intestinal obstruction in a child by intravenous sequential administration of ceftriaxone and ceftazidime: a case report

Published on Apr. 27, 2026Total Views: 2095 times Total Downloads: 466 times Download Mobile

Author: YAN Li 1 SHAO Gang 2 ZHOU Mi 3

Affiliation: 1.Department of Pharmacy, Wuhan Asia General Hospital, Wuhan 430056, China 2.Department of Pediatrics, Wuhan Asia General Hospital, Wuhan 430056, China 3.Department of Pharmacy, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Soochow University, Suzhou 215000, Jiangsu Province, China

Keywords: Ceftriaxone Ceftazidime Intravenous Acute intestinal obstruction Children Adverse drug reaction

DOI: 10.12173/j.issn.1005-0698.202509085

Reference: Yan L, Shao G, Zhou M. Acute intestinal obstruction in a child by intravenous sequential administration of ceftriaxone and ceftazidime: a case report[J]. Chinese Journal of Pharmacoepidemiology, 2026, 35(6): 716-720.DOI: 10.12173/j.issn.1005-0698.202509085.[Article in Chinese]

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Abstract

A 3-year-11-month-old male child with asthmatic bronchopneumonia developed symptoms such as increased flatus, dysuria, abdominal distension, and abdominal pain approximately 1 h after administration of ceftriaxone for injection. Intestinal obstruction was confirmed by abdominal X-ray and abdominal CT scan. After discontinuation of ceftriaxone, a cleansing enema was performed; a large number of loose stools were passed, and symptoms of abdominal distension and pain were relieved. Subsequently, the treatment was switched to ceftazidime for injection. About 1 h after ceftazidime administration, significant abdominal distension recurred. The drug was discontinued, and enema treatment was administered, with relief of abdominal distension. Finally, the treatment was switched to oral cefaclor suspension, and no recurrence of abdominal distension, abdominal pain, or other symptoms was observed. Ceftriaxone and ceftazidime were both evaluated for their association with acute intestinal obstruction using Naranjo's Assessment Scale, and the results were "probably related" for both drugs. This case suggests that ceftriaxone and ceftazidime may induce acute intestinal obstruction in children, which should arouse great clinical attention.

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References

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