Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Laparotomy for fulminant pseudomembranous colitis.

D S Medich1, K K Lee, R L Simmons

  • 1Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15261.

Archives of Surgery (Chicago, Ill. : 1960)
|July 1, 1992
PubMed
Summary

Clostridium difficile-associated pseudomembranous colitis presenting as acute abdomen requires prompt diagnosis. Subtotal colectomy offers survival benefit in severe cases, while early detection via endoscopy or CT can prevent surgery.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Sleep Goal Index (SGI) - A new success outcome criteria on 618 OSA patients.

The Medical journal of Malaysia·2025
Same author

Meteorological gaps in audits of pedestrian environments: a scoping review.

BMC public health·2024
Same author

[Propensity score matching analysis of the short-term efficacy of Kamikawa versus double- tract reconstruction in laparoscopic proximal gastric cancer surgery].

Zhonghua wei chang wai ke za zhi = Chinese journal of gastrointestinal surgery·2024
Same author

[Analysis of the therapeutic effect of aspiration thrombectomy for early carotid stent thrombosis].

Zhonghua wai ke za zhi [Chinese journal of surgery]·2024
Same author

The expression of cytokeratin and apoptosis-related molecules in echinococcosis related liver injury.

Molecular and biochemical parasitology·2022
Same author

Effects of Inflammatory Disease on Clinical Progression and Treatment of Ischiogluteal Bursitis: A Retrospective Observational Study.

Malaysian orthopaedic journal·2021

Area of Science:

  • Gastroenterology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Surgical Gastroenterology

Background:

  • Clostridium difficile-associated pseudomembranous colitis is a growing hospital-acquired infection.
  • It typically responds to oral antibiotics but can present as an acute abdomen.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe the clinical presentation and outcomes of patients with C. difficile-associated pseudomembranous colitis presenting as acute abdomen.
  • To evaluate the effectiveness of different surgical and medical interventions.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective review of 12 patients with C. difficile-associated pseudomembranous colitis presenting as acute abdomen.
  • Analysis of clinical data, diagnostic imaging (CT scans), endoscopic findings, and treatment outcomes.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • A distinct clinical picture included advanced age, recent antibiotic use, fever, abdominal pain, leukocytosis, and ileus; only 6 patients had diarrhea.
  • CT scans showed ascites and thickened colonic walls.
  • Subtotal colectomy was associated with survival in all four patients who underwent it. Other surgical or medical treatments had higher mortality or variable responses.

Conclusions:

  • Early diagnosis using endoscopy or CT scans is crucial to avoid unnecessary exploratory surgery.
  • Progressive toxic effects signal medical therapy failure, necessitating subtotal colectomy for improved survival.