[Etiology of "pouchitis"]

"Pouchitis" remains an unsolved problem which affects the lives of significant numbers of patients who have undergone an ileal pouch-anal anastomosis procedure for ulcerative colitis or familial adenomatous polyposis. Conditions which mimic "pouchitis" include overflow incontinence, specific infections, ischemic enteritis, peri-pouch sepsis and Crohn's disease. Current theories of etiology and implications for treatment are examined in this review article.