Abstract
Clinical features of 10 cases of ischemic colitis (IC) induced by colonoscopies are deserbed and we would like to propose to define IC as one of the significant complications of colonoscopy. Among 28, 000 sigmoidscopies (SCS) and 6, 000 total colonoscopies (TCS) performed from January 1995 to December 1996, there were 10 cases of IC induced by the procedures. The incidence was 0.03% in total, 0.02% in SCS, and 0.07% in TCS. They consisted of 6 males and 4 females with the mean age of 62.1 (range: 43-74) years. Four cases (40%) had past histories such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, or arrhythmia. Six cases (60%) had undergone abdominal operations. All of them had bloody stool and/or abdominal pain. In 9 cases (90%), the onsets were within 24 hours after colonoscopy. Endoscopy revealed a circumferential or partial mucosal edema, redness, erosion, and submucosal hemorrhage spreading from the rectum to the descending colon. All of the patients were treated with fasting and infusion. The colonic lesions improved in 8 to 26 (mean : 12.7) days. All of the cases were classified as a transient type of IC. In these cases of IC induced by colonoscopy, increased intraluminal pressure and extension of the colonic wall were suggested to be the causes. The possibility of the occurrence of IC as a complication should be always kept in mind during routine colonoscopic examination.
