Colitis
First Things First (assess & treat for the following)
- Toxic symptoms suggesting fulminant colitis
- Severe abdominal pain
- High fever
- Marked leukocytosis
- Altered mental status
- Hypotension
- Colonic dilation suggesting toxic megacolon
- Obtain serial plain films or CT; >7 cm colonic diameter or “thumbprinting”
- Correct electrolyte abnormalities, especially hypokalemia.
- Eliminate possible exacerbating factors:
- Opiates
- Anticholinergics
- Antidepressants
- Antimotility agents
- Peritoneal findings suggesting perforation
- Obtain immediate surgical consultation (if not already accomplished).
- Free perforation is absolute indication for surgery.
- Infectious etiology
- Other etiologies in differential diagnosis (ie, “look-alikes”)
- Ischemic colitis
- Colonic volvulus
- Diverticulitis
- Obstructing colon cancer
There's more to see -- the rest of this topic is available only to subscribers.
Last updated: April 14, 2010
Citation
"Colitis." Pocket ICU Management, PocketMedicine.com, Inc, 2010. Anesthesia Central, anesth.unboundmedicine.com/anesthesia/view/Pocket-ICU-Management/534115/all/Colitis.
Colitis. Pocket ICU Management. PocketMedicine.com, Inc; 2010. https://anesth.unboundmedicine.com/anesthesia/view/Pocket-ICU-Management/534115/all/Colitis. Accessed November 25, 2024.
Colitis. (2010). In Pocket ICU Management. PocketMedicine.com, Inc. https://anesth.unboundmedicine.com/anesthesia/view/Pocket-ICU-Management/534115/all/Colitis
Colitis [Internet]. In: Pocket ICU Management. PocketMedicine.com, Inc; 2010. [cited 2024 November 25]. Available from: https://anesth.unboundmedicine.com/anesthesia/view/Pocket-ICU-Management/534115/all/Colitis.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - ELEC
T1 - Colitis
ID - 534115
Y1 - 2010/04/14/
BT - Pocket ICU Management
UR - https://anesth.unboundmedicine.com/anesthesia/view/Pocket-ICU-Management/534115/all/Colitis
PB - PocketMedicine.com, Inc
DB - Anesthesia Central
DP - Unbound Medicine
ER -