Surgical management and outcome in acute ischemic colitis.

BACKGROUND

Ischemic colitis is the most common form of gastrointestinal ischemia. Patients usually present with abdominal discomfort and bloody diarrhea. Treatment is contingent on the severity of disease. Mucosal/nongangrenous ischemia requires only supportive measures and medical management, whereas transmural/gangrenous ischemia may require prompt surgical intervention. The purpose of this study was to review the surgical management of ischemic colitis in a tertiary referral center.

METHODS

Retrospective chart review of patients with ischemic colitis managed from 1995 to 2000 at the Ochsner Foundation Hospital.

RESULTS

Forty-eight patients were identified. Ten of these had disease significant enough to require surgery (21%) and are the basis of this review. Eight were women, and the mean age was 71.4 years (range 43-85 years). Distribution of the disease was the right colon in 4 cases, pancolitis in 3, sigmoid in 2, and the left colon in 1. Nine patients underwent bowel resection: primary anastomosis in 3 and creation of a stoma in the other 6 (5 ileostomies and 1 transverse colostomy). Follow-up ranged from 3 days to 13.8 years. One patient died perioperatively.

CONCLUSION

Surgical management produced good results.