Clinical characteristics of ischemic colitis after surgery for colorectal cancer.

PURPOSE: This study was performed to clarify the clinical features of ischemic colitis (IC) after colorectal cancer surgery.

METHODS

This study retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 35 patients with IC. Patients were divided into two groups: those who had undergone colorectal cancer surgery (POIC group, n = 13) and those who had not undergone colorectal cancer surgery (NOIC group, n = 22). Gangrenous colitis was seen in one patient in the POIC group, and transient colitis was seen in the remaining 34 patients.

RESULTS

Among the patients with transient colitis, there were significantly more patients without underlying diseases or promoting factors in the POIC group than in the NOIC group (P = 0.01). Abdominal pain was more frequently reported in the NOIC group than in the POIC group as both the initial symptom (P = 0.02) and throughout the disease course (P = 0.02). Ischemic changes occupying more than half the circumference of the intestinal wall were more frequently found in the NOIC group than in the POIC group (P = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

Although transient POIC may occur without any underlying disease, severe symptoms rarely occur. However, if POIC occurs in a patient with severe underlying disease, then the occurrence of severe colitis should be considered.