TOXIC MEGACOLON SECONDARY TO ACUTE ISCHEMIC COLITIS

A 72-year-old woman without significant medical history was admitted w ith abdominal pain, high fever, leukocytosis, bloody diarrhea and mark ed dilation of the transverse, descending and sigmoid colon. Toxic meg acolon was diagnosed and responded well to medical treatment. Seven we eks after her admission, however, the patient developed a stenotic les ion in the sigmoid colon. The lesion was managed surgically. Histologi cal examination of the resected colon revealed resolving ischemic coli tis affecting only part of the thickness of the intestinal wall. The p atient has been healthy since the surgery, i,e., for two years.