J Korean Soc Emerg Med.  2017 Jun;28(3):282-285. 10.0000/jksem.2017.28.3.282.

Cardiac Arrest in a Patient with a Severely Distended Colon

• Park SC
• Cho YM
• Kim HB
• Bae BK
• Park SW

• KMID: 2386581
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.0000/jksem.2017.28.3.282

Abstract

Toxic megacolon is a devastating complication of colitis, which is commonly caused by inflammatory bowel disease. Frequently reported complications of toxic megacolon are bleeding, sepsis, colon perforation, and shock. Herein, we report a rare case of cardiac arrest that was likely caused by toxic megacolon in a 49-year-old male, who experienced 3 months of intermittent dyspnea and abdominal distension that abruptly worsened before presentation. Our case suggests that severe colon dilation complicated by toxic megacolon, especially accompanied by cardiopulmonary symptoms and signs, has the potential to progress to an abdominal compartment syndrome, which is a rare but life-threatening complication.

Keyword

Megacolon; toxic; Heart arrest; Critical care; Case reports

MeSH Terms

Colitis
Colon*
Critical Care
Dyspnea
Heart Arrest*
Hemorrhage
Humans
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases
Intra-Abdominal Hypertension
Male
Megacolon
Megacolon, Toxic
Middle Aged
Sepsis
Shock