Summary
Ischemic colitis is a serious complication of aortic aneurysm resection. A knowledge
of the endoscopic appearance and the clinical course of various forms of colonic mucosal
injury is important for the clinician who has to decide which patient should be carefully
monitored after aneurysm resection.
This article reports on 48 patients with colonic mucosal injury, subdivided into non-specific
lesions and ischemic colitits. Details are given of the endoscopic picture and the
clinical course.
It is concluded that only the gangrenous form of ischemic colitis is of clinical significance,
and is related to bowel perforation and late stricture formation.
Key words:
Aortic aneurysm - Ischemic colitis - Colonoscopy
