Ulcerative colitis (UC), a kind of chronic nonspecific intestinal inflammation with unknown etiology, is very difficult to cure. It recurs often and even is accompanied with parenteral lesion. It has been rated as one of contemporary refractory diseases by World Health Organization. The author combines the pathological mechanisms of UC with the poison-evil theory and the collateral disease theory, and puts forward that "toxin impairing intestine collateral" pathogenesis theory. We believe that longer accumulation of damp-heat stasis toxin that damages the intestine collateral is the key cause for recurrence and relapses of UC. We explained its theory foundation in terms of pathogenesis of UC from Chinese medicine and modern medicine. The "toxin impairing intestine collateral" theory might perfect the syndrome typing system for UC, and provide a new way of thinking for treating UC.
Colitis, Ulcerative ; diagnosis ; etiology ; pathology ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods

No abstract availble.
Colitis, Ulcerative/complications/*diagnosis/pathology ; Colonoscopy ; Female ; Humans ; Intestinal Obstruction/*diagnosis/etiology/pathology ; Middle Aged

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Although normal endoscopic findings are, as a rule, part of the diagnosis of microscopic colitis, several cases of macroscopic lesions (MLs) have been reported in collagenous colitis, but hardly in lymphocytic colitis (LC). The aim of this study was to investigate the endoscopic, clinical, and histopathologic features of LC with MLs. METHODS: A total of 14 patients with LC who were diagnosed between 2005 and 2010 were enrolled in the study. Endoscopic, clinical, and histopathologic findings were compared retrospectively according to the presence or absence of MLs. RESULTS: MLs were observed in seven of the 14 LC cases. Six of the MLs exhibited hypervascularity, three exhibited exudative bleeding and one exhibited edema. The patients with MLs had more severe diarrhea and were taking aspirin or proton pump inhibitors. More intraepithelial lymphocytes were observed during histologic examination in the patients with MLs compared to the patients without MLs, although this difference was not significant. The numbers of mononuclear cells and neutrophils in the lamina propria were independent of the presence or absence of MLs. CONCLUSIONS: LC does not always present with normal endoscopic findings. Hypervascularity and exudative bleeding are frequent endoscopic findings in patients with MLs.
Adult ; Aged ; Colitis, Collagenous/*pathology ; Colitis, Lymphocytic/complications/*pathology ; Colon/pathology ; *Colonoscopy ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Diarrhea/etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Intestinal Mucosa/*pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Although normal endoscopic findings are, as a rule, part of the diagnosis of microscopic colitis, several cases of macroscopic lesions (MLs) have been reported in collagenous colitis, but hardly in lymphocytic colitis (LC). The aim of this study was to investigate the endoscopic, clinical, and histopathologic features of LC with MLs. METHODS: A total of 14 patients with LC who were diagnosed between 2005 and 2010 were enrolled in the study. Endoscopic, clinical, and histopathologic findings were compared retrospectively according to the presence or absence of MLs. RESULTS: MLs were observed in seven of the 14 LC cases. Six of the MLs exhibited hypervascularity, three exhibited exudative bleeding and one exhibited edema. The patients with MLs had more severe diarrhea and were taking aspirin or proton pump inhibitors. More intraepithelial lymphocytes were observed during histologic examination in the patients with MLs compared to the patients without MLs, although this difference was not significant. The numbers of mononuclear cells and neutrophils in the lamina propria were independent of the presence or absence of MLs. CONCLUSIONS: LC does not always present with normal endoscopic findings. Hypervascularity and exudative bleeding are frequent endoscopic findings in patients with MLs.
Adult ; Aged ; Colitis, Collagenous/*pathology ; Colitis, Lymphocytic/complications/*pathology ; Colon/pathology ; *Colonoscopy ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Diarrhea/etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Intestinal Mucosa/*pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies

Idiopathic mesenteric phlebosclerosis, rare disease entity causing chronic mesenteric ischemia is a member of non-thrombotic, non-inflammatory stenosis or occlusion of the mesenteric veins. The histologic hallmark is marked fibrous mural thickening and sclerosis of the vessel wall. It is frequently accompanied by calcification in the vessel wall. We report the case of a 61-year-old woman with idiopathic mesenteric phlebosclerosis. To our knowledge, this is the first case reported in Korea.
Calcinosis/diagnosis ; Colitis, Ischemic/diagnosis/etiology ; Colonoscopy ; Female ; Humans ; Mesenteric Vascular Occlusion/*diagnosis/etiology/pathology ; Mesenteric Veins/*pathology ; Middle Aged ; Sclerosis/pathology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Idiopathic mesenteric phlebosclerosis, rare disease entity causing chronic mesenteric ischemia is a member of non-thrombotic, non-inflammatory stenosis or occlusion of the mesenteric veins. The histologic hallmark is marked fibrous mural thickening and sclerosis of the vessel wall. It is frequently accompanied by calcification in the vessel wall. We report the case of a 61-year-old woman with idiopathic mesenteric phlebosclerosis. To our knowledge, this is the first case reported in Korea.
Calcinosis/diagnosis ; Colitis, Ischemic/diagnosis/etiology ; Colonoscopy ; Female ; Humans ; Mesenteric Vascular Occlusion/*diagnosis/etiology/pathology ; Mesenteric Veins/*pathology ; Middle Aged ; Sclerosis/pathology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Focally enhanced gastritis (FEG) has been suggested as a specific diagnostic marker for patients with Crohn's disease (CD). However, the usefulness of FEG for distinguishing CD from ulcerative colitis (UC) is uncertain and the incidence or prevalence of FEG for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients in Korea has not been defined yet. In this study, we investigated the frequency of FEG and other gastric histological abnormalities in Korean patients with CD and UC. METHODS: We evaluated 37 patients with known CD, 43 patients with UC and 41 non-IBD control group; all underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy followed by biopsy from the antrum and the body. The pathology of the gastric biopsy specimens and the presence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) were evaluated. FEG was characterized by a focal perifoveolar or periglandular inflammatory cell infiltrates. RESULTS: H. pylori positive gastritis was found in 10 of 37 (27.0%) of CD patients, in 16 of 43 (37.2%) of UC patients, and in 22 of 41 (53.7%) of non-IBD control group (p=0.054). In H. pylori-negative patients, FEG was found in 8 of 27 patients (29.6%) of CD patients, 6 of 27 (22.2%) patients with UC, and 2 of 9 (10.5%) of non-IBD control group (p=0.324). CONCLUSIONS: In H. pylori-negative patients, there was no statistically significant difference in the occurrence of FEG among CD, UC and control groups in Korea.
Adult ; Colitis, Ulcerative/*diagnosis/etiology/pathology ; Crohn Disease/*diagnosis/etiology/pathology ; Female ; Gastritis/epidemiology/*pathology ; Gastroscopy ; Humans ; Korea/epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Upper Gastrointestinal Tract/pathology

Child ; Colitis ; diagnosis ; Colon, Sigmoid ; pathology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Diarrhea ; etiology ; Eosinophilia ; complications ; diagnosis ; Female ; Gastroenteritis ; complications ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Humans ; Sigmoid Diseases ; complications ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Sigmoidoscopy

Inflammatory bowel disease often involves extra-intestinal organs. Cerebral thrombosis, portal vein thrombosis and pulmonary thrombosis have been reported. Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary thromboembolism are significant causes of mortality in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. A 48-year-old woman was diagnosed as inflammatory bowel disease on colonoscopy and histology. We used hydrocortisone and mesalazine for the treatment of disease. Nineteen days later, she complained of abrupt dyspnea. Pulmonary CT angiography revealed a thromboembolism in right pulmonary arteries. After the treatment of heparin therapy, follow-up pulmonary CT angiography showed significant improvement of previously thrombosed pulmonary arteries.
Acute Disease ; Colitis, Ulcerative/complications/*diagnosis ; Colonoscopy ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Pulmonary Embolism/*diagnosis/etiology/pathology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Ischemic colitis is one of the most common intestinal ischemic injury in which more than 90% of patient are over 60 year-old. It results from impaired perfusion of blood to the bowel and is rarely caused by vasculitis such as systemic lupus erythematosus, polyarteritis nodosa, and Takayasu's arteritis. Takayasu's arteritis affects the aortic arch, medium-sized and large arteries but rarely involves inferior mesenteric artery. We report a case of Takayasu's arteritis involving inferior mesenteric artery which developed ischemic colitis in a 70 year old female. To the author's knowledge this is the first case report in Korea. A 70 year old woman who had suffered from Takayasu's arteritis for 5 years was admitted for sudden abominal pain and hematochezia. On sigmoidoscopy, there were multiple segmental longitudinal ulcerations around splenic flexure and diffuse hemorrhagic edematous mucosa from descending colon to sigmoid colon. On abdominal CT angiography, inferior mesenteric artery was not traced. We diagnosed it as ischemic colitis combined with Takayasu's arteritis. After the conservative treatment, abdominal pain and hematochezia disappeared. She was followed up to 2 years without recurrence of symptoms.
Abdominal Pain/diagnosis ; Aged ; Colitis, Ischemic/*diagnosis/etiology/pathology ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Sigmoidoscopy ; Takayasu Arteritis/complications/*diagnosis/pathology ; Tomography, Spiral Computed