Retroperitoneal fibrosis during the course of ulcerative colitis. A simplecoincidence?

Retroperitoneal fibrosis has been described as a rare occurrence during the course of inflammatory bowel disease, mainly Crohns disease. This is the t hird report on retroperitoneal fibrosis occurring during the course of ulce rative colitis. A 62-year-old male patient with a 5-year history of ulcerat ive colitis developed stenosis of the left ureter due to. retroperitoneal f ibrosis. Treatment consisted in surgically releasing the ureter from the ma ss and steroids. During a 2.5-year follow-up, renal function was stable and ulcerative colitis in remission. Important aspects of this case are the mo derate course of ulcerative colitis, ultrasound confirmation of normal kidn ey structure before manifestation of fibrosis, hypertension diagnosed four years before retroperitoneal fibrosis, a non-functioning kidney at diagnosi s, and reduction of retroperitoneal mass after steroid treatment. Retroperi toneal fibrosis, although a rare disease entity should be considered when a patient with ulcerative colitis develops otherwise unexplained renal insuf ficiency.