Simultaneous onset of ulcerative colitis in the rectum and in a segment of colon used for colpopoiesis: report of a case.

A patient is described in whom a segment of colon used to construct an artificial vagina was therefore removed from intestinal continuity and was affected by typical idiopathic ulcerative colitis. The onset of disease was simultaneous in this loop of colon and in the rectum. There was no evidence of local infection. An increased ratio of IgE-plasma cells was found in both the mucosa of the grafted colon and that of the rectum, but anticolonic antibodies were not detected in the serum. After removal of the loop of colon used for colpopoiesis, the patient continued to suffer from distal proctocolitis for almost a year, but has since then maintained a stable remission without treatment. The etiology of ulcerative colitis is discussed, and attention is drawn to the unusual psychologic aspects of this case.