Korean J Gastrointest Endosc.
2000 Nov;21(5):869-872.
Obstructive Colitis Occuring Proximal to Colon Cancer
- Affiliations
-
- 1Department of Internal Medicine, Inha University College of Medicine, Inchon, Korea.
- 2Department of Pathology, Inha University College of Medicine, Inchon, Korea.
Abstract
- Obstructive colitis is an ulceroinflammatory lesion occurring proximal to an obstructing lesion in the colon. It is the result of ischemia due to impairment of blood supply secondary to elevation of the intraluminal pressure and other factors which impair adequate perfusion. The incidence among patients with colonic obstruction is reported to be between 1 and 7%. The patients are predominantly female and usually have hypertension, diabetes, or other prior chronic disease. Obstruction is occurred most commonly in the rectosigmoid area. In half of the patients, this is caused by adenocarcinoma. There is always an abrupt transitional zone between affected and normal bowel. A segment of preserved mucosa is usually presented on the proximal side of the stenosis. Areas of colitis occurs either as circumscribed ulcers or confluent circumferential lesions. They can occur as early mucosal hemorrhage and edema, and transmural necrosis. Microscopically, lesions are composed of granulation tissue with mixed acute and chronic inflammatory cells that replace the mucosa and often the submucosa. We report a case of obstructive colitis occuring proximal to colon cancer with a brief review of relevant literature.