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Ischemic colitis

Case contributed by Andrew Lawson
Diagnosis certain

Presentation

Elderly patient with abdominal pain.

Patient Data

Age: 80 years
Gender: Female
ct

The colon is distended from the level of the proximal rectum up to the cecum and filled with fluid and inspissated fecal matter. The cecal pole itself is not overtly distended and there is no reflux into the small bowel. No oral contrast has reached the colon. There are no discrete strictures identified. Diverticulae noted in the sigmoid colon. Segmental regions of peri-colic fluid are visible. No discrete regions of substantial wall thickening.

Reconstructions of the SMA/IMA on this portal venous imaging were normal.

Case Discussion

Pathology report:

A total colectomy has been performed.

Sections show large bowel with confluent coagulative necrosis of mucosa, associated with hemorrhage and a relatively sparse acute inflammatory infiltrate. There is occasional preservation of crypt bases and muscularis propria. The submucosa is edematous and hemorrhagic. Occasionally there is transmural acute inflammatory infiltrate associated with patchy necrosis of muscularis propria. At the margins the mucosa is necrotic however the muscularis propria appears viable. The mesenteric vessels contain blood however thrombosis is not seen and there is no evidence of vasculitis.

DIAGNOSIS: Large bowel: Acute ischemic colitis with early infarction.

 

This case was not prospectively called ischemic colitis, but the patient went to theater since she was clinically peritonitic.

TEACHING POINT: apart from obstructing lesions resulting in colonic distension, consider a vascular insult.

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