[Sodium polystyrene sulfonate (Resonium A) as possible cause of rectal blood loss].

A 67-year-old man underwent laparotomy for a ruptured aneurysm of the abdominal aorta. Postoperatively he was treated with haemodialysis because of perioperatively developed acute renal failure. Hyperkalaemia was temporarily treated with sodium polystyrene sulfonate (Resonium A) after which he lost blood per rectum. A hemicolectomy was necessary because of intractable blood loss due to ulceration of the colon. This complication is related to uraemia and the use of sodium polystyrene sulfonate with or without sorbitol.