Abstract
A 58-year-old man presented to our hospital because of abdominal pain and vomiting was diagnosed with obstructive ileus caused by colon cancer at the ileocecum. An abdominal CT scan conducted before surgery revealed thrombi in the right pulmonary artery and the bilateral femoral veins. Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism were diagnosed. An inferior vena cava filter was placed before surgery, because anticoagulation therapy had to be withdrawn during a perioperative period and so there was a possibility of worsening of the diseases due to recurrence of embolism. Operative procedures included ileocecal resection and ileostomy. His postoperative course was uneventful.
Our experience with this case emphasizes the importance of our recognition that patients with obstructive ileus due to colon cancer entail a great risk of causing thrombosis, because they have been carrying dehydration as well as cancer. We could have a favorable outcome by placing an inferior vena cava filter before operation for a patient with obstructive ileus due to colon cancer associated with deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. Here we report the case, together with a review of the literature.
