Unusual association between renal tubular acidosis and Chilaiditi syndrome: a case report

In 1911 Demetrius Chilaiditi described the radiographic findings of hepatodiaphragmatic interposition of the colon in 3 cases, a syndrome which now bears his name. The incidence of this anomaly in the general population ranges from 0.025% to 0.28%. Typically this is an incidental radiographic finding, often asymptomatic; however, abdominal pain, distension, vomiting, anorexia, constipation have been reported in the clinical presentation of this rare syndrome. Volvulus of the colon, post-necrotic cirrhosis, obesity, congenital hemihypertrophy, mental retardation, pulmonary lobectomy and upper endoscopy are reported to be associated with Chilaiditi syndrome. We report the first case of Chilaiditi syndrome caused by adynamic ileus resulting from hypokalaemia induced by renal tubular acidosis.