Abstract
Background: Toxic megacolon (TM) is a potentially lethal complication of idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease or infectious colitis, characterized by total or segmental non-obstructive colonic dilatation of at least 6cm associated with systemic toxicity. Methods: Overall, 15 patients had surgery for TM at our institutions over a 10-year period (1993-2003). In contrast to other studies that used medical therapy as the first-line treatment for TM, in our experience all patients underwent surgery as soon as possible after diagnosis of TM (early surgery). Results: 14 patients underwent subtotal colectomy with terminal ileostomy, while for 1 patient the surgical procedure consisted only in a decompressive cecostomy. Two major complications occurred consisting of 2 cases of multiple organ failure leading to death. No other major complications or deaths were reported. The overall mortality rate was therefore 13% (0% in patients
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 146-149 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Digestion |
Volume | 72 |
Issue number | 2-3 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2005 |
Keywords
- Non-surgical therapy
- Surgery for toxic megacolon
- Timing of surgery
- Toxic megacolon
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Gastroenterology