Toxic megacolon (megacolon toxicum) is a life-threatening complication of other intestinal conditions. It is characterized by a very dilated colon (megacolon), accompanied by abdominal distension (bloating), and sometimes fever, abdominal pain, or shock. Colon has several meanings: colon (anatomy) colon (punctuation) colon (rhetoric) See also Colón This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Megacolon is an abnormal dilatation of the colon (a part of the large intestines) that is not caused by mechanical obstruction. ... Bloating is any abnormal general swelling, or increase in diameter of the abdominal area. ... An analogue medical thermometer showing the temperature of 38. ... Abdominal pain can be one of the symptoms associated with transient disorders or serious disease. ... Shock is a serious medical condition where the tissue perfusion is insufficient to meet the required supply of oxygen and nutrients. ...

Toxic megacolon is most usually a complication of inflammatory bowel disease, such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, and some other infections of the colon. Other forms of megacolon exist and can be congenital (present since birth, such as Hirschsprung's disease) or associated with some forms of constipation. Several fields refer to compliations: Complication (medicine) - a unfavorable evolution of a disease, a health condition or a medical treatment Complication (horology) - a special feature in a mechanical clock that causes the design of the movement to become more complicated This is a disambiguation page, a list of pages that... In medicine, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a group of inflammatory conditions of the large intestine and, in some cases, the small intestine. ... H&E section of non-caseating granuloma seen in the colon of a patient with Crohns disease. ... Infection is also the title of an episode of the television series Babylon 5; see Infection (Babylon 5). ... A congenital disorder is a medical condition or defect that is present at or before birth (for example, congenital heart disease). ... Hirschsprungs disease, or congenital aganglionic megacolon, involves an enlargement of the colon, caused by bowel obstruction resulting from an aganglionic section of bowel (the normal enteric nerves are absent) that starts at the anus and progresses upwards. ... Constipation or irregularity, is a condition of the digestive system where a person (or animal) experiences hard feces that are difficult to eliminate; it may be extremely painful, and in severe cases (fecal impaction) lead to symptoms of bowel obstruction. ...

Symptoms

• Abdominal pain
• Abdominal bloating
• Abdominal tenderness
• Fever
• Tachycardia (rapid heart rate)
• Dehydration

There may be signs of septic shock. A physical examination reveals abdominal tenderness and possible loss of bowel sounds. An abdominal radiography shows colonic dilation. There is usually an elevated white blood cell count. Blood electrolytes may show a low potassium. Abdominal pain can be one of the symptoms associated with transient disorders or serious disease. ... Bloating is any abnormal general swelling, or increase in diameter of the abdominal area. ... An analogue medical thermometer showing the temperature of 38. ... Tachycardia is an abnormally rapid beating of the heart, defined as a resting heart rate of 100 or more beats per minute in an average adult. ... Dehydration (hypohydration) is the removal of water (hydor in ancient Greek) from an object. ... Septic shock is a serious medical condition causing such effects as multiple organ failure and death in response to infection and sepsis. ... In medicine, the physical examination or clinical examination is the process by which the physician investigates the body of a patient for signs of disease. ... Radiography is the creation of images by exposing a photographic film or other image receptor to X-rays. ... White blood cells (a. ... An electrolyte is a substance that dissociates into free ions when dissolved (or molten), to produce an electrically conductive medium. ... General Name, Symbol, Number potassium, K, 19 Chemical series alkali metals Group, Period, Block 1, 4, s Appearance silvery white Atomic mass 39. ...

Treatment

The objective of treatment is to decompress the bowel and to prevent swallowed air from further distending the bowel. If decompression is not achieved or the patient does not improve within 24 hours, a colectomy (surgical removal of all or part of the colon) is indicated. Fluid and electrolyte replacement help to prevent dehydration and shock. Use of corticosteroids may be indicated to suppress the inflammatory reaction in the colon if megacolon has resulted from active inflammatory bowel disease. Antibiotics may be given to prevent sepsis (a severe infection). Colectomy is the surgical procedure by means of which part of the colon is removed. ... In physiology, corticosteroids are a class of steroid hormones that are produced in the adrenal cortex. ... Inflammation is the first response of the immune system to infection or irritation and may be referred to as the innate cascade. ... An antibiotic is a drug that kills or slows the growth of bacteria. ... Sepsis (in Greek Σήψις, putrefaction) is a serious medical condition, resulting from the immune response to a severe infection. ...

Prognosis

If the condition does not improve, there is a significant risk of death. In case of poor response to conservative therapy a colectomy is usually required.

Complications

• Sepsis
• Shock
• Perforation of the colon

Emergency action may be required if severe abdominal pain develops -- particularly if it is accompanied by fever, rapid heart rate, tenderness when the abdomen is pressed, bloody diarrhea, frequent diarrhea, or painful bowel movements. Diarrhea or diarrhoea (see spelling differences) is a condition in which the sufferer has frequent watery, loose bowel movements (from the ancient Greek word διαρροή = leakage; lit. ...

External links

• Toxic megacolon. National Institutes of Health. Used as the public domain source for this article. Update on 1/26/2004 by: Sreeni Jonnalagadda, M.D., Interventional and Pancreatobiliary Endoscopy, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.