Diverticulitis and ulcerative colitis

✍ Scribed by T. Bates; V. Kaminsky

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1974
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 445 KB
• Volume: 61
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0007-1323
• DOI: 10.1002/bjs.1800610410

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

The association of diverticulitis and acute ulcerative colitis is uncommon but carries a high mortality. Four cases are described with diverticular disease who developed fulminating ulcerative colitis. The double diagnosis was not initially recognized in any of these cases and in 2 the diagnosis of ulcerative colitis was only made at laparotomy.

Three of the 4 patients died following surgical treatment and the difficulties of their diagnosis and management are discussed. It is suggested that sigmoidoscopic examination before emergency bowel surgery is important.